Ferrari had a race to forget at the Canadian Grand Prix following the double retirements of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
The team endured their worst race of the season, appearing off the pace compared to their rivals from the start of the weekend. Leclerc and Sainz qualified outside of the top ten in 11th and 12th, then suffered a nightmare afternoon on the following Sunday.
Leclerc had a calamitous race when the team switched to dry tyres too early in the wet-to-dry conditions, with Ferrari eventually choosing to end his race due toa power unit problem. Sainz would later join Leclerc on the sidelines after spinning on the wet track at Turn 6, clipping Alex Albon and damaging his car.
The Monogasque left Canada with a 56-point deficiency to Max Verstappen, while Sainz’s retirement meant a further blow to Ferrari’s Constructors’ title chances. Writing in a Q&A for BBC Sport, journalist Andrew Benson revealed what the likely cause of their problems was which put them so far off the pace of their rivals.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Andrew Benson reveals cause for pointless weekend
Benson believes that a key problem held back Ferrari throughout the weekend, which was unique because of the changing conditions and resurfaced asphalt at the Circuit Gilles Villeneueve.
“Ferrari have conducted an intense analysis of Canada in the week since the race and they say they “didn’t get the best out of the conditions and our qualifying positions compromised our race,” said Benson.
“What they have not yet revealed is why that was the case. But in these cases where a team is randomly completely out of the right ballpark, the suspicion usually falls on tyres.
“The likelihood seems to be that Ferrari were not getting their tyres up to the correct operating temperature – probably to do with the combination of a car that has been designed to be kind to tyres and a new, low-abrasion track surface.”
Reason to be hopeful at Spanish Grand Prix for Ferrari?
F1 heads to the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya for the first round of a triple-header, a track that is known for being a chassis circuit.
It is expected this will play to the strengths of Red Bull’s RB20 more, but Leclerc is confident that Ferrari can bounce back and stay competitive with fellow rivals McLaren and Mercedes.
The Scuderia will bring a sizable update to the floor of the SF-24, which could reduce the deficit they experienced in Montreal.
It will come in time, as several other teams are also expected to bring updates including Red Bull sister team RB who impressed in the last race.
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