Binotto says Sainz can't handle 2022 Ferrari — what you missed at the Spanish GP

A 2022 Spanish Grand Prix which was widely expected to be unexciting affair actually produced an uncharacteristic Catalunyan rollercoaster.

The drama of both Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen spinning off mid-race was only heightened by comfortable race leader Charles Leclerc retiring with an engine issue.

It’s possible this came as a result of the extreme heat in Barcelona, which also made tyre degradation the main factor in deciding competitors’ race fates.

With such varying fortunes, you could have been forgiven for missing out on one or two of the storylines this past weekend.

Binotto explains why Sainz can’t get to grips Ferrari F1-75

Mattia Binotto offered insight on the travails of Carlos Sainz and his Ferrari F1-75 with a pithy statement. Whilst Charles Leclerc has been able to extract maximum performance, Sainz hasn’t, crashing out in the race in Australia and qualifying in Imola, as well as spinning off in Barcelona.

The Ferrari team boss has said the difference in performances may be down to how their respective set-up preferences suit the car.

“Charles is really driving very well and doing a fantastic season so far,” he told Sky Sports. “He’s capable of running a very aggressive balance which maybe Carlos, at the moment, cannot. I think Carlos needs a bit more experience.”

Leclerc’s instinctive driving style appears to suit the F1-75 – Sainz’s considered approach of “studying the data”, as Binotto put it, currently isn’t producing the desired effect.

Sainz also backed up Binotto in his post-race interview.

“You can probably see from the onboards and from the mistakes that I’m struggling quite a bit to drive this car and to understand how to extract the maximum out of it,” he said.

“It has given me a whole new challenge in my Formula 1 career. The car is a bit too pointy for my liking but that’s it, it is the way it goes.”

What could have been for Bottas and Schumacher

A big debate over the weekend was as whether the two-stop or three-stop strategy was the more favourable. Valtteri Bottas and Mick Schumacher were a couple of two-stop proponents who looked like they could have made it work, but then faded later on.

The vague picture on tyre degradation with a sweltering 50C track temperature meant choosing between track position and nursing your older tyres to the end, or making the extra stop and making up the lost ground with newer rubber.