Sainz: We haven't taken the right calls recently

As a result, the Italian Formula 1 squad reverted to an older specification of their SF-24 for the British Grand Prix, a spec they introduced at Imola, after their latest upgrade brought for the Spanish Grand Prix turned out to be a hopeless case after the team apparently failed to eradicate the bouncing it caused.

As a result, Ferrari had a woeful weekend at Silverstone, with Charles Leclerc knocked out of qualifying in Q2 and racing to 14th while being lapped. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, fared better, qualifying seventh and finishing fifth. However, both Ferraris were outqualified by the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.

Facing the media after the British GP, including GrandPrix247, Sainz was asked how Ferrari now stacked up to their rivals, now that they were back to their Imola spec.

Sainz said: "It [performance] is clearly not good enough. We are basically the same car as in Imola and since Imola, everyone has upgraded, probably added two-tenths to the car and we have had to revert.

"We have lost two-or-three months of performance gain in the wind tunnel or performance we could have added in these three months. So clearly, we haven't taken the right calls recently.

"But I feel like today [Sunday in Silverstone] was at least back-to-basics, back to a car which was in Imola and we just need to upgrade it from here. But it is clear that our rivals are a good step ahead of us," the Spaniard admitted.

With the upgrade package causing the SF-24 to bounce at high speed, Sainz was asked whether the new package can be used in the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, where the track is much slower.

He said: "Yes, it will still mean we will bounce in Turns 4 and 11, but until nothing better comes, we may have to live with bouncing for slow-speed performance while, in high-speed tracks we might have to run the floor off this package because if not, the other one is undrivable.

"So far, [this is] the situation we are in, I trust the team will make the right calls circuit-to-circuit, until a more solid package, which is not bouncing in high-speed and good in low-speed, arrives.

"Then we will start thinking about battling the top three teams again," the Spaniard, who is in his final season with Ferrari, concluded.

Sainz is yet to announce his plans for 2025 while being linked to Audi-Sauber, Williams, Mercedes at some times, and most lately Alpine.