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Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
MONZA, Italy — Carlos Sainz is hoping to finish Max Verstappen’s report run of consecutive Method One victories at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, however admits the percentages might be stacked in opposition to him.
Sainz beat Verstappen to pole place by 0.013s at Monza, leaving the Purple Bull driver in second place and sandwiched between each Ferraris on Sunday’s grid.
Verstappen is at present on a run of 9 consecutive victories, equalling the report held by Sebastian Vettel since 2013, and has an opportunity to make the report his personal with a tenth win in a row on Sunday.
Purple Bull stays unbeaten this season, with Verstappen taking 11 race wins and teammate Sergio Perez two, and whereas the possibilities of a Ferrari victory on Sunday stay slim, Sainz continues to be focusing on the highest step of the rostrum.
“I believe it will probably occur, nothing is unimaginable tomorrow, particularly ranging from P1,” he mentioned. “In the beginning I’m going to do all the things I can to remain forward of Max.
“I believe that wanting again at this 12 months, one hundred pc of races they’ve been faster than us, and clearly faster, in order that makes me really feel like it isn’t going to be straightforward in any respect.
“They’re going to attempt to discover a well past, a method or one other, but when one thing may occur we might have an excellent day tomorrow and get the win.
“I am simply going to try to go into tomorrow with the mindset to win the race after which adapt to the circumstances and race tempo of Verstappen.”
Friday follow gave a glimpse of the efficiency of every automobile on heavy gas over a number of laps, with Verstappen’s lap instances throughout his race simulation averaging out 0.4s quicker than Sainz’s.
“What we now have seen from the lengthy runs, I am not going to lie, it is trickier [to fight Verstappen] and never the identical image as qualifying,” he mentioned. “Purple Bull, as quickly as you place 5 or 6 laps on the tyres and all the things begins to degrade a bit, that is the place their power is, and that is the race tempo we now have seen all 12 months.
“However hopefully I can get a greater begin after which make Max’s and Checo’s life as troublesome as potential. I believe we’re prepared to work by way of it as a staff and provides it our greatest shot.
“It is a good alternative tomorrow, realistically the Purple Bull ought to be faster, however we’re simply going to attempt to make their life as sophisticated as potential and attempt to take the win.”
Verstappen identified that Ferrari’s Monza-specific improve bundle almost definitely helped Sainz beat him to pole, however believes his automobile, which featured a bigger rear wing with extra downforce, may give him the benefit within the race when limiting tyre degradation might be key.
“I am not likely shocked [Sainz is on pole position], they have been fairly fast right here final 12 months as effectively,” Verstappen mentioned. “For those who take a look at their rear wing, it is fairly effectively optimised for Monza.
“For those who take a look at our wing, for one lap it’s possibly not one of the best optimisation, however for a race it ought to be higher.
“[The result is] nothing stunning, to be trustworthy.”