Sainz: We can still beat Mercedes fair and square

Max Verstappen leads the 2022 F1 drivers' standings and could wrap up the title mathematically in Singapore next time out, or most likely Japan if current form is maintained; the Dutchman leads the standings by 116 points over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc with six races remaining.

Red Bull top the F1 constructors' standings by 139 points; Ferrari are second on 406 points, 35 ahead of Mercedes in third, and no other team close, thus the largely meaningless (to fans) battle for second place is likely to take centre stage, with the goal of the additional prize money for runner-up as possible inspiration.

Whatever the case, many felt that Ferrari had a good chance of finally winning another F1 title this year, the F1-75 a handy piece of kit with Leclerc and Sainz more than capable. But a spell of fumbles and mistakes saw them lose tough with Red Bull operating at the highest level, almost faultless in their servicing of their drivers, Verstappen in particular.

With first place in either championship virtually gone for Ferrari this season, they may even lose second place to Mercedes which Sainz expects: “I think we know they're going to be there pretty much in every Sunday, especially Sundays they seem to pick up a lot of pace compared to qualifying and they are always there.

“I'm always surprised how in qualifying they can be maybe one second off sometimes and suddenly come race day your engineer comes on the radio, and they tell you the lap times of Lewis and George and it's like sometimes they are even quicker," added in conversation with reporters at Monza.

"We know they're going to be there but I think we can still beat them fair and square," insisted Sainz while flinging a sure challenge to Mercedes, whose incredible run of eight consecutive F1 constructors' title wins has now ended; finishing second will be high on their damage limitation agenda henceforth.

As for the often glaring mistakes (such as the forgotten wheel at Zandvoort), slow pitstops and bizarre strategy calls from the Red pitwall, Sainz said: “It’s very difficult to generalise about where we should have been more brave or more cautious.

"I think you would need to pick one by one and analyse them independently. I'm pretty sure one by one, every result or every conclusion will be different. For me, it's all about continuous improvement and continuously finding ways to make the right calls at the right time.

“And there have been a lot of times during the year where we've done the right calls and no one has come to us to say, ‘Oh, you did the right call’ or congratulate us for that.

"But on the other hand, when there's been two or three – let's say call them bad calls with hindsight – there's been massive criticism about it."

Sainz, now in his second year with Ferrari, is now well aware of what it means to race for the fabled and massively popular Italian team: “I find it a bit tougher in Ferrari. I feel like when I was in McLaren, or in Toro Rosso or in Renault.

"When there was a big mistake on strategy no one would come and point it out and criticise you and put you down to earth like as much as they do in Ferrari.

"This is a fact that I think everyone can agree with. While in Ferrari, everything seems bigger. The victory is bigger; the mistake is bigger. And it’s just like that, no?

"It’s something I'm adapting myself to. And it’s something I need to learn how to react better in situations. We go back to a factory, and we try to improve it," explained Sainz, whose title hopes faded a while back.

The Spaniard is fifth in the 2022 F1 standings ahead of Round 17 of the season, the Singapore Grand Prix next month at Marina Bay Circuit.