“Too slow”. Sainz undertone – Corriere.it

«Formula 1 is not mathematics, it is not an exact science, would you have ever expected Verstappen fifteenth?». Alonso does not hold back his joy, at 41 his life is a constant challenge to numbers. “Overtake the future” is written on the billboards around this crazy track, he will try to chase that ageless future: from the front row (a box earned thanks to Leclerc’s penalty), to make life difficult for Sergio Perez even if in words he says melina: «Better watch your back, and then I expect Max on the podium at the very least». The Mexican is on pole, like last year here, but with a much stronger chassis than back then and for this reason he’s under pressure, because any result other than a win would be a failure. Before qualifying, in the paddock it was a game of guessing the gap that the world champion would give to his pursuers. From half a second up. Then the certainties collapsed together with Max’s right rear wheel axle shaft. Whether it will be a hard blow or a caress for Red Bull will be understood today. But problems also began to appear in the blue box: in fact, the gearbox and transmissions were replaced on both single-seaters after some problems.

The chronicle of qualifications

It is the price to pay for the extreme research of the lightening of the car? Perhaps, but this increases the regrets for the troubles – much bigger than those of his rivals – who have relegated Leclerc twelfth. «It was a ride to the limit in which I put all of myself into it» explained Charles with a bitter taste in his mouth. Ferrari was looking for answers on the unexpressed potential and got them halfway: with the driver less useful to the cause because he was condemned by the breakdowns in Bahrain to a comeback Sunday.

Someone who never hides, not even when an uncomfortable truth needs to be sweetened: “Red Bull remains in another category, we were quite slow this weekend”. It’s an invitation to roll up your sleeves and reduce the gap from the best, they expected a higher top speed thanks to the technical updates. It is the captain’s speech that takes center stage, despite the penalty. Today he is aiming for the podium, while yesterday his partner rowed among the high waves of the Red Sea. With enormous effort.

Because Ferrari missed Carlos Sainz, and there would have been so much need of him. He took four tenths from Charles, he also ended up behind Russell in an unsightly Mercedes. He admits it: «Too many mistakes, I suffered a lot in the first sector. But in the race it will be different». Luckily F1 is not mathematics, here in Jeddah between the safety car and twists and turns it has never been.