Sainz's surprise pole position at Silverstone gives Ferrari real chance for revenge

It was in one of the most difficult qualifying sessions of the year that Carlos Sainz shone. On the eve of his 150th Formula 1 GP, the Ferrari's Spaniard dodged the downpour that overtook Silverstone and overtook rivals Max Verstappen (2nd) and Charles Leclerc (3rd) to get the first pole-position of his career in the biggest category of motor sports. It was also a demonstration of strength and skill, given the unpredictable weather and conditions on the English circuit. More than that, it proves that the Madrid driver is following the good performance presented in Canada, two weeks ago. It is a chance for revenge.

The point is that Ferrari needs to beat Red Bull. And it is imperative that it does not make any more mistakes or suffer from reliability. Or the goal of contending for the championship will fall by the wayside. Leclerc, in fact, summed up the mood inside the Ferrari garages well for this busy July: "I think the next four races will be very important before the summer break. Going into the vacations with four good races would be great. Now we need to focus on us."

That's why Sainz's grid position for the British GP is so important, though surprising given the favoritism imposed by Verstappen - not only in qualifying this Saturday (2), but for his winning streak in 2022. "So it was very easy to whip out and lose the lap, plus it was difficult to find the right temperature point with these intermediates," the Spaniard said. "In the end, I got a lap that I didn't think was special, but that's the way it is. Pole-position, it was a bit surprising," he pointed out.

"And if I base it on my TL2 time, I think we're in a good position to hold off Max [Verstappen]. Charles [Leclerc] will definitely put the pressure on, and I will do my best," added the Ferrari driver.

So, yes, it is a new opportunity to exploit the F1-75 updates - the new elements have a major rationale of increasing straight-line speed, while improving aerodynamic efficiency and tire behavior. Friday's TL2 showed that the red car goes very well in the slower corners, although it loses a few tenths at race pace. But the factor that should really stand out is the better rubber management that Ferrari possesses, since the race will be contested on a dry track. So, yes, the Italians are very much in contention for the win.

"They [Red Bull] won seven races, and we won two. There were races where we were leading and had reliability problems, so I think the score could easily be 4-5," said Mattia Binotto, the Ferrari boss.

"There are still many races ahead, and reliability is a concern for us, but it could also be a concern for them," Binotto opined, recalling that the rival also had serious problems earlier in the year, including breaks by Max and Perez. "And here is one of those tracks where you go into the high corners with a lot of appetite and you need to manage that [tire wear]. It's going to be an issue and a concern, so it's something that needs care and management," he added.

Carlos' performance also has an element of confidence - not only in himself, but also for Maranello. After all, Verstappen had dominated qualifying. The Dutchman had set the best times in Q1 and Q2, but had compromised his performance with spins and minor errors. At the moment, Red Bull has a slightly better pace than Ferrari, but still needs to work out some set-up details before the lights go out on Sunday.

"It was a tricky qualifying with the rain, then dry track, then rain again, anyway. I had to be on track at the right time, but I think overall the car worked well. Q3 is a lottery sometimes. I was a little bit hindered on my final lap, with the yellow flag, unfortunately. But still, being on the front row is very good for us - we have a good race car in the dry and in the wet," the world champion spoke.

"It's not about the first lap, it's about the whole race. As I said, we have a good car and there is also the issue of tire wear. I'm looking forward to tomorrow," Verstappen added.

Therefore, the British GP is again shaping up to be a strategic race. With both teams at a similar technical level and tire wear being an important piece, the choice of compounds and the timing of the stops should also play a crucial role.

"The fastest strategy for the 52-lap race will be two pit-stops, with a few different options on the table," predicts Pirelli in its statement. "The medium compound should be preferred for the start of the race, then replaced by the hard compound and then a new medium. Making the race with one stop is possible, but it won't be easy to manage the tires."

"As always, this also all depends on which tires the drivers have left on their allocations and what the conditions will be tomorrow. It is expected to be dry, but there is a risk of some rain showers, and the lower the temperatures, the better for those with soft tires," he concluded.

GRANDE PRÊMIO follows LIVE and INREAL TIME all the activities of the British GP weekend. On Sunday, the start is scheduled for 11:00 am (GMT-3).