Ferrari will start 'SWEATING' if they don't meet key target in Canada claims Ted Kravitz

Sainz angry after Australia penalty, Kravitz inset — Photo: © LAT Images

Ferrari

Ferrari will start 'SWEATING' if they don't meet key target in Canada claims Kravitz

It's time to show up for Ferrari in 2023 or risk another season fast becoming a write off

Jack Walker

Saturday 17 June 2023 17:27

Sky pundit Ted Kravitz insists that Ferrari 'must' return to the podium at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

While the famous team in red returned to the 24-Hour Le Mans race in triumphant style earlier this month, the Scuderia are yet to win in Formula 1 this year.

The lack of success has come as a huge surprise after a major step forward in 2022 saw the team take second place in the constructors’ championship.

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Charles Leclerc also claimed P2 in the drivers’ standings, but both he and team-mate Carlos Sainz look a million miles from taking the chequered flag first in 2023.

Sainz, however, very nearly won last year’s Canadian Grand Prix – finishing 0.993 seconds behind Max Verstappen – so Tifosi around the world will be cautiously hopeful of at least finishing on the podium.

It’s D Day for Ferrari

After a disastrous season so far, Ted Kravitz says it’s do or die for Ferrari in Canada.

During Ted’s Podbook, Kravitz said: ”I think for Ferrari it is a must to [get a] podium this weekend.

“If they don't get a podium, if they let Fernando Alonso get back in with his podium habit or Mercedes get back in with a podium, following up the ones that they showed in Spain, then I think people at Ferrari will start to sweat as to where exactly this season is going.”

Consistently being the third or fourth-fastest car is far from where the Scuderia were supposed to be after Fred Vasseur took the helm after Mattia Binotto’s departure.

Leclerc’s podium in Baku is the team’s only top-three finish in 2023 so far, which puts into perspective just how far behind their rivals they are.

An undrivable car

With major upgrades to the SF-23 still pretty far off according to Vasseur, the chances of Ferrari’s performance improving any time soon is pretty slim.

The drivers in particular, though, will be praying for even the smallest ounce of progress, especially after Sainz said “we don’t have the driveable, easy-to-drive car that we had last year.”