After closing the gap on McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, Ferrari said their “clear objective” is to pass them in third place.
The 10-point swing in Ferrari’s favor at the Turkish Grand Prix has reduced the deficit to 7.5 points – with a large amount of extra prize money on available for those who win that battle.
With the financial motivation coinciding with an apparent recovery to form recently, team principal Mattia Binotto says the team is all pulling in the same direction for the final six races, adding recently that they will aim for a podium at each of the remaining rounds this year.
“It’s certainly a target that we have already communicated to the team,” Binotto said. “I think everybody is on board with that. It would be great to finish third.
“I think even working with the clear objective by the end of this season, it’s important for us because it’s a way of working under pressure and being trained to that.
“So yes, our objective is to finish third at the end of the season.”
Carlos Sainz used a new power unit in Turkey and recovered from the rear of the grid to finish in the points, winning the fan-voted Driver of the Day title in the process.
He admits it’s “tricky” to predict how much of a good influence it will have for Ferrari as the season progresses, but he still believes the final races will be a throwing between the Scuderia and his former team.
“You saw [in Turkey] we were quicker than McLaren,” said the Spaniard. “In Sochi, they were quicker than us. So I still believe it’s going to be up and down until the end of year.
“What this engine should give us, I think it’s the possibility for the circuits where we are behind to be a bit closer to them, and in the circuits where we are in front, to be maybe a bit further up.
“This is what we were looking for since the upgrade was pushed forward, and what we hope is going to give us that little edge to try and make the fight a bit more complicated.
“[In Turkey] we managed to cut 10 points on them, which in the points we are fighting is quite a big cut.
“We are fighting and six races to go, anything can happen.”
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