Carlos Sainz’s performance in the 2023 season has been far from impressive, with lackluster performances that have left him trailing behind his teammate. Unlike his teammate who has faced numerous reliability issues, Sainz has had a relatively smooth ride which only amplifies his underperformance. In the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sainz was clearly outpaced by Charles Leclerc until his early retirement, and then overtaken with ease by a resurgent Fernando Alonso. He delivered equally unimpressive results in the Saudi Arabian and Australian races. Ferrari cannot afford to settle for just “okay” performances, especially with one driver often out of action. Sainz has lost a combined nine places across the three races, with the penalty in Australia adding to his woes. The Spaniard must quickly step up his game if he wishes to remain relevant in the team.
