After a Saturday below expectations, Scuderia Ferrari experienced a Sunday full of redemption in Suzuka, obtaining a third place with Carlos Sainz who finished ahead of the comeback Charles Leclerc who was voted driver of the day. These results confirm Scuderia Ferrari as the second force in the championship.
During the Japanese GP, Ferrari adopted differentiated strategies for its drivers to maximize the result, obtaining the fifth podium in the last four races (including Carlos' victory in Australia) and maintaining second position in the constructors' cup.
Currently, the Red team is -21 behind Red Bull, with 120 points, almost double compared to the same point in the previous season. Carlos Sainz achieved his twenty-first career podium, the third in this sporting campaign.
Carlos managed the race expertly, making the most of his medium tires and making up ground on Norris and Leclerc in the final phase of the race. Charles, however, made an impressive comeback, completing 25 laps on medium tires before making just one pit stop, defending himself well from his rivals.
Maranello is confidently heading towards the Chinese Grand Prix which will also mark the introduction of the first Sprint Race of the season.
![Carlos Sainz - Scuderia Ferrari, Japanese GP 2024](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Carlos-Sainz-Scuderia-Ferrari-Gp-Giappone-2024-1-750x375.webp)
Ferrari GP Japan: the protagonists speak
Charles Leclerc emerged refreshed from the race after difficulties in qualifying. Here are his opinions: “If we talk about the race, I'm satisfied. We did everything to the best of our ability. Race pace, tire management, radio communications and strategy were excellent. If we didn't achieve even more it's because of yesterday's qualifying”.
“As already happened in Melbourne, in the fight for position on the grid, I struggled to put the tires in the ideal temperature window. It's a problem that we didn't have in the first two races and we need to work on it immediately with the aim of managing each phase as best as possible in two weeks' time in China”.
![Carlos Sainz - Scuderia Ferrari, Japanese GP 2024](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Carlos-Sainz-Scuderia-Ferrari-Gp-Giappone-2024-2-750x375.webp)
“It was a good day for the whole team: very solid race and many points won. We have extracted the maximum potential of the machine – he began Carlos Sainz – Two positive starts allowed me to immediately be in a good position in the standings: from then on we managed the tires perfectly, with an excellent pace with both the Medium and Hard compounds, managing to pull off some nice overtaking moves..”
“Obviously we want to be even more competitive, but I'm sure that if we continue to push with this energy we will have even better opportunities. Now we return to Maranello with the whole team: from tomorrow we must start focusing on China”.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal of the Prancing Horse, expressed himself as follows: “Today we saw a team that was always clear and focused and moving unitedly towards its objectives. We managed to make great progress over the winter and we are seeing the results of this work on the track”.
“Ours was a very solid Sunday, in which we brought home the best possible result after yesterday's difficult qualifying, a fundamental aspect on which we absolutely must improve”.
“In competition – he continued – the team did everything as best as possible, from strategy to tire management. Both drivers were very good at managing the strategy decided for them. With Carlos we started from further forward, and we were able to be more aggressive, allowing him to finish in crescendo and putting him in a position to make several good overtaking moves..
![Frédéric Vasseur - Scuderia Ferrari team principal](https://www.formulacritica.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Frederic-Vasseur-1-750x375.webp)
“With Charles we were more limited by the fact that he was only eighth on the grid, but he was very good in the first stint and so we were able to execute a one-stop strategy that allowed him to make up many positions. Looking at the standings it is clear that we need to grow further if we want to give Red Bull a run for their money. This is what we intend to do from the next appointment, in China”.
Photo credits: Scuderia Ferrari, Formulacritica