“Am I in a race here or what?”: How Ferrari aced their Suzuka strategies

Ferrari arrived at Japanese Grand Prix in high spirits after ending Red Bull’s stranglehold on the top step of the podium in the previous round in Australia, courtesy of Carlos Sainz Jnr

But although Sainz had been the closest to the world champions on the grid at Albert Park, he was unable to take a front row grid slot in Japan, lining up behind Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and even Lando Norris in one of the McLarens.

Team mate Charles Leclerc was even lower down the grid in eighth after a qualifying session where he just couldn’t find any more time out of his car or his tyres. But by the end of the 52-lap grand prix, both Ferrari drivers were the highest-placed of Red Bull’s rivals.

This was despite both Sainz and Leclerc admitting they had doubts about the team’s strategy at times. As ever, Ferrari’s radio communications through the race provided a fascinating insight into the mindset of the two drivers and the team itself.

Although both drivers had moments where they were unsure about whether they were on the quickest path to the chequered flag, both ultimately agreed they achieved as good a result as they could have expected.

Early strategy suggestions

Both Ferraris used new medium tyres for the start of the grand prix, which was red flagged on the opening lap following the crash between Daniel Ricciardo and Alexander Albon. While some of their rivals opted to switch to hards for the restart, both Sainz and Leclerc instead put on another new set of mediums instead, which they were both asked to conserve.

While many teams further back chose to pit early and take advantage of the very effective undercut effect at Suzuka to gain track position and clean air, Ferrari were instead happy to try and go a reasonable distance with both drivers, even if they suggested they were feeling the effects of tyre wear.

Lap: 3/53 LEC: 2’33.066, SAI: 2’47.321
Marcos Padros	And reset brake balance when you can.
Lap: 4/53 LEC: 1’38.268, SAI: 1’37.225
Marcos Padros	And DRS enabled. Good job on the tyres.
Lap: 5/53 LEC: 1’37.812, SAI: 1’37.322
Marcos Padros	Hamilton behind with DRS.
Lap: 6/53 LEC: 1’38.021, SAI: 1’37.721
Marcos Padros	Hamilton, DRS.
Lap: 7/53 LEC: 1’38.187, SAI: 1’37.756
Marcos Padros	Good job on tyres. We are just losing half a tenth, turn 11. Easy entry 11 for better exit.	Adami	Verstappen lap time: 36.8. Brake balance +1, suggestion.
Marcos Padros	And we are going plan A. Plan- A. And tyre phase update, when you can.	Sainz	Yeah, one percent.
		Adami	Copy.
		Sainz	Yeah, I feel I’m struggling a bit.
		Adami	Copy.
Lap: 8/53 LEC: 1’37.920, SAI: 1’37.736
		Adami	Fernando lap time: 38.2, behind. He’s 1.8 behind.
		Adami	Switch ‘yellow’. Switch ‘yellow’.
		Adami	You are doing a very good job on tyres. And first tyre phase update. Tyre phase update when you can.
		Adami	After Sainz communicates through his steering wheel Copy tyre phase.
Lap: 9/53 LEC: 1’38.213, SAI: 1’37.980
		Adami	And cars at the back started to two-stop already, so it will be kicking off soon.
		Sainz	Who’s stopped?
		Adami	Just the backmarkers. Tsunoda, Bottas, Hulkenberg-.
		Sainz	Yeah, but we don’t care about-
		Adami	No, no, just telling you that it will be kicking off soon. No worries.
Lap: 10/53 LEC: 1’39.034, SAI: 1’38.304
Marcos Padros	And very good job on tyres. And switch position ‘red’.

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Changing plans

The Ferraris were each behind one of the McLarens – fourth-placed Sainz behind Norris, Leclerc trailing sixth-placed Oscar Piastri. The McLarens pitted on consecutive laps, freeing the two Ferraris into clean air.

Lap: 11/53 LEC: 1’39.193, SAI: 1’38.273
Marcos Padros	And hard compound looking similar to the medium, as expected.	Sainz	Should we do the opposite of McLaren? Stop opposite of McLaren’s stop?
Leclerc	After indicating something through his steering wheel …suggestion.	Adami	So Lando is coming in. Good job. And free air. And Checo is 4.4 in front. Checo lap time: 8.2.
Marcos Padros	So copy your message, but we’ll be in traffic.
Leclerc	Okay.
Lap: 12/53 LEC: 1’38.883, SAI: 1’37.847
		Adami	Tyres are ready. Tyres are ready. Good pace now.
		Sainz	Yeah, I’m quick, I think. Let’s stay out.
		Adami	Copy. Switch position ‘grey’. Switch position ‘grey’. And we see you’re on a status 3.5, for info.
Lap: 13/53 LEC: 1’38.479, SAI: 1’38.333
Leclerc	Plan B, suggestion?
Leclerc	Copy that. And tyre phase update, when you can.
Marcos Padros	Leclerc communicates through his steering wheel So, tyres are good. We are happy with plan B.
Leclerc	Tyres are okay, but the lap times I’m doing now is the lap time I will do later.
Lap: 14/53 LEC: 1’38.595, SAI: 1’38.504
Marcos Padros	Information: gap to Sainz in front, 7.7.

The Ferrari pair were ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who had both taken the restart on hard tyres. Ferrari opted to pit Sainz for the original mediums he had used for the initial start, but decided to extend Leclerc’s stint and aim for a one-stop.

Lap: 15/53 LEC: 1’38.172, SAI: 1’40.439
Marcos Padros	And how many laps you can do at this pace?	Adami	Mode ‘box’. Mode ‘box’.
Leclerc	For now, it’s constant. I don’t know when the drop off will come.	Sainz	This tyre feels a bit better this lap, but up to you.
		Adami	Copy that. Hamilton complaining about the hards. We’re fitting the medium and we’d prefer to box now. Pit confirm and box.
		Sainz	Copy.
		Adami	Understood. Mode ‘race’ and K-2 ‘on’. Also Checo in, as you can see. Focus on the lights. Hold the brakes. Hold the brakes.
Lap: 16/53 LEC: 1’37.876, SAI: 1’56.159
Leclerc	Plan C, suggestion? Update me on lap times of people that’s stopped.	Adami	Good job. And K-2 ‘on’ until turn seven. And Fernando 3.6 behind and Lando is stuck behind Hamilton.
Marcos Padros	Copy that. So Piastri: 37.4.	Adami	K-2 ‘off’.
Marcos Padros	So, at the moment, we are on plan B and investigating to do plan C.
Leclerc	Copy.
Lap: 17/53 LEC: 1’37.856, SAI: 1’36.469
Marcos Padros	Piastri, 37.1. Very good job on tyres. Very good.
Lap: 18/53 LEC: 1’37.760, SAI: 1’36.698
Marcos Padros	We believe plan B is our best option, but with plan A tyres.
Leclerc	Why?

Sainz caught up to behind Hamilton, who had yet to stop, but found himself without the level of ERS battery charge that he would ideally like to try and put Hamilton under pressure and get by him quickly, which he would eventually do on lap 19.

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Leclerc commits to one-stop

Lap: 19/53 LEC: 1’37.523, SAI: 1’37.786
Marcos Padros	The hards seems to be poorer than expected. On the Mercedes.	Sainz	I don’t understand why the SoC is so low, guys! Why did you make me use K-2?
Leclerc	But we have a really good pace now, no? This race, why would you stop now?	Adami	And we are fine now. This was due to the mode ‘box’.
Marcos Padros	If you want to try plan C, we cannot lose time with Verstappen, Norris behind.	Sainz	Yeah, but then don’t make me…
		Adami	And good job. Pace is good. Russell lap time: 8.4.
Lap: 21/53 LEC: 1’38.203, SAI: 1’37.995
		Adami	And very good job out there.
		Sainz	Yeah, but we’re losing so much time…
		Adami	SoC-8 is enough out there.
		Sainz	…that is all I care about. Don’t do that again, please.

Leclerc was now in the lead of the race as both Red Bulls had pitted for mediums. It was now reaching a point where Leclerc and Ferrari were going to have to decide whether or not to commit to the one-stop strategy.

Lap: 22/53 LEC: 1’37.744, SAI: 1’36.575
		Adami	Checo is fighting with Lando in front. Checo lap time: 6.5.
		Sainz	Lando lap time and Charles lap time? One-stop, yeah?
		Adami	They still need to decide. A 38.2 for Charles, Lando: 7.0.
Lap: 23/53 LEC: 1’37.755, SAI: 1’36.779
Marcos Padros	And good job. How many more laps you can do at this pace?	Adami	And tyres are ready.
Leclerc	It’s okay for now.	Adami	And Lando, car in front: 4.7 seconds.
Lap: 24/53 LEC: 1’38.071, SAI: 1’36.805
		Adami	And Charles lap time: 7.8. Checo: 6.6. Lando: 8.2.

Eventually, having been caught and passed by the Red Bulls, Leclerc was called in to make his sole green flag pit stop on lap 26, moving Sainz back up to third, just under five seconds from Perez. Leclerc only just managed to emerge in front of Russell in sixth as Norris also came in for his second stop.

Lap: 26/53 LEC: 1’43.175, SAI: 1’37.137
Leclerc	Tyres will recover, if you want to try one more lap…	Sainz	Yeah, overtaking looks difficult.
Leclerc	We pit?	Adami	Understood, Charles is boxing. Fighting with Lando in front.
Marcos Padros	Box now, box. Box now, box.
Lap: 27/53 LEC: 1’55.623, SAI: 1’37.068
Leclerc	Box.
Marcos Padros	Copy.
Marcos Padros	Will be tight. Tight with Russell, pit exit. Tight with Russell. And K-2 off, turn one.
Marcos Padros	Twenty-seven laps to go – 27. And we need Status-two. Status-two.
Leclerc	Was it Norris that pitted behind us?
Marcos Padros	Yes it was. So our fight is with Russell and Norris behind. And SoC-six, when you can.

Leclerc was now behind Piastri and Fernando Alonso, but soon realised that he was the only one of the cars around him who was committed to run until the end of the grand prix, effectively the entire second half of the race.

Lap: 29/53 LEC: 1’36.357, SAI: 1’37.176
Marcos Padros	So Piastri [on] hard, 16 laps at the moment. 37.4, for him.
Marcos Padros	So Piastri and Alonso in front. They need to stop again.
Leclerc	Who doesn’t need to stop in front?
Lap: 30/53 LEC: 1’36.225, SAI: 1’37.010
Marcos Padros	Everyone in front needs to stop again.
Marcos Padros	And keep looking after these tyres. You’re doing a good job.
Lap: 33/53 LEC: 1’35.878, SAI: 1’37.233
Marcos Padros	So Piastri pitted for hard.
Marcos Padros	So we see that you are increasing status. Just keep looking after the tyres, please. Norris behind: 36.4.

Soon after, Piastri, Alonso and the two Red Bulls pitted within the same three laps. Leclerc was quickly caught and passed by the Red Bulls, before Sainz was also brought it from the lead of the race for his second stop.

Lap: 34/53 LEC: 1’36.320, SAI: 1’36.901
Marcos Padros	Perez just pitted now.	Sainz	Even this clean air, it makes a lot of difference.
Marcos Padros	And Perez is right behind Norris.	Adami	Okay, good.
Lap: 35/53 LEC: 1’36.056, SAI: 1’36.948
Marcos Padros	And Perez is now behind. Our main fight is with Norris.	Sainz	Yeah, let’s box soon. I think I’m going to lose time here.
		Adami	Copy, understood. He’s on new medium. Let’s see – the more we understand, the better it is, but stay on our toes.
		Sainz	Yeah, but am I going to have time to catch them? How far ahead they are when I box.
		Adami	One more lap. One more lap.
Lap: 36/53 LEC: 1’36.681, SAI: 1’39.310
		Sainz	Yeah, I lost time there, unlocking that clear air. I’m still losing a bit of time now to compensate.
		Sainz	And box, Carlos, box. Pit confirm and box.
		Adami	I gave you plus hard. So 5.2 – for new hard.
		Sainz	Err, 0.1.
		Adami	Copy.
		Sainz	Okay, tell me what I have to do next.
		Adami	Yeah. We’ll need to pass the Mercedes, yep. Coming out behind Hamilton.
Lap: 37/53 LEC: 1’36.135, SAI: 1’55.063
Marcos Padros	And Sainz just pitted now for hards.	Adami	Charles will be nine seconds in front. Hold the brakes and focus on the light.
		Adami	Sainz makes his stop K-2 ‘on’.
		Adami	And K-2 ‘off’ for turn one. And 16 laps to go. Head down.

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Sainz goes on a charge

Sainz left the pits two seconds behind Hamilton with 13 lap older tyres. By the end of his out-lap, he’d eaten up that margin and passed the Mercedes. Now he just had to make up just over nine seconds and pass Norris and his team mate to be back on the podium.

Lap: 40/53 LEC: 1’36.341, SAI: 1’34.396
		Sainz	Am I in a race here, or what?
		Adami	Yes you are – for a podium. Two cars in front. Lando lap time: 7.5. Charles lap time: 5.6… 5.7. And Lando is 3.4 in front.
Lap: 41/53 LEC: 1’35.451, SAI: 1’34.863
		Adami	Lando 2.6 in front. And 12 laps to go.
Lap: 42/53 LEC: 1’35.797, SAI: 1’35.293
Marcos Padros	So double yellow turn nine. Sargeant’s there. Double yellow.	Adami	Double yellow, turn nine. Double yellow turn nine.
		Adami	Sargeant is rejoining. All clear there. Some gravel out of nine.

Leclerc was doing his best to eke out as much grip as he could from his tyres while keeping his pace up. His advantage was that he had the same age tyres as Norris behind, but Sainz’s were ten laps newer and was on course to easily catch both of them – which he did.

Lap: 44/53 LEC: 1’35.685, SAI: 1’34.336
Marcos Padros	Next car behind now is Sainz and flashing blues for Ocon in front.	Adami	And ten laps to go.
Marcos Padros	And do not lose time with Sainz. We are racing Norris.	Adami	Sainz passes Norris And one more to for the podium. Flashing blues for Ocon in front of Charles.
Marcos Padros	Solid blues for Ocon in front.
Lap: 45/53 LEC: 1’35.739, SAI: 1’35.006
Marcos Padros	Sainz lap time: 34.3. Norris: 36.4.
Lap: 46/53 LEC: 1’36.778, SAI: 1’33.841
Marcos Padros	Sainz with DRS.	Adami	And eight to go. Checo nine in front.
		Adami	A 33.9, fastest lap. You are purple, first sector.
Lap: 47/53 LEC: 1’35.922, SAI: 1’35.063
		Adami	And Checo lap time: 4.7. You are purple for now, yeah. For now, yeah.

After Sainz took the fastest lap, Verstappen took it back four laps later thanks to the aid of DRS along the pit straight when lapping Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. Sainz was still pushing to try and catch Perez ahead, even though the gap was over seven seconds.

Lap: 51/53 LEC: 1’35.199, SAI: 1’34.877
		Adami	And three laps to go. And Max went 33.7 – purple.
		Sainz	Yeah, I need the DRS to catch up. Any DRS coming?
		Adami	Not soon, that I can see.
		Adami	And Checo lap time 5.2.
Lap: 52/53 LEC: 1’35.316, SAI: 1’35.203
Marcos Padros	Two laps to go.	Adami	Next lap will be the last. And Bottas is 5.1 in front.
Marcos Padros	Norris: 35.2.	Adami	Will be SoC-1 for the last lap.

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Mixed emotions at the finish

Heading into the final lap, it was clear that Sainz was going to finish third. For a moment, Sainz thought the team were about to ask him to make another attempt at the fastest lap, but he completed the final tour to claim the final podium position, to his relief.

Leclerc followed him home around eight seconds lap later. He had recovered from eighth on the grid to back up his team mate in fourth, but he was still not satisfied with his result from the weekend.

Lap: 53/53 LEC: 1’35.044, SAI: 1’35.224
Marcos Padros	And last lap. Last lap.	Sainz	You want to give it a go, or?
		Adami	No. Just closing fastest race. Max was on DRS.
Chequered flag
Marcos Padros	P4. Good job.	Adami	And P3. P3. Awesome drive out there. Another podium. Awesome moves and good come back.
Marcos Padros	Do you need positions?	Vasseur	Good job, Carlos.
Vasseur	Good job, Charles. You’ve done a good job. Good work.	Sainz	Yeah. Good job. I thought we might have got it wrong there for a minute, but it was a good come back. Good job.
Marcos Padros	You’ve been voted ‘driver of the day’. Well managed, on the race.
Leclerc	Thank you. Fucking hell… P4. Thought we could have done something there at one point. It’s life.
Marcos Padros	Yeah, me too. But really good recovery.

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