Ferrari: Sainz strategy overrule proves strong team 'communication'

Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says Carlos Sainz's rejection of a strategy call in the Hungarian Grand Prix highlighting the driver's contribution and the team's strong communication.

In the early stages of the race at the Hungaroring, Sainz was running fifth behind Williams' Nicholas Latifi and AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, at which point the Scuderia pitwall informed the Spaniard to prepare for an undercut pitstop.

However, Sainz rejected the call and insisted he should remain out on track, which he did, a decision that allowed him to make gains once Latifi and Tsunoda pitted and he found himself in clean air.

After a mid-race tyre change, Sainz moved up to third where he remained until he succumbed to an attack from Lewis Hamilton and finished fourth, although his position was upgraded to third in the provisional results following Sebastian Vettel's disqualification.

Binotto said that while Ferrari's strategists made the final call in Hungary, the team's reliance on Sainz's input validated the Scuderia's collective approach to its strategy decisions.

"These are both conclusions that we are reaching together," Binotto said after last weekend's race.

"So it’s our way of approaching, having an open discussion on the radio, making sure that in certain conditions we are reaching the right conclusion.

"I think we always had good strategies, which have been applied as not only thanks to the strategist but thanks to the contribution of the drivers which are the ones driving the car and knowing the conditions around the track.

"I don’t think it’s a misjudgment because the final call has been done by the strategist. So the driver has suggested what was his impression being there, we review our evaluations, we concluded that was the right choice.

"So, overall, happy [with] the way that this communication is working. And again, that’s showing how the team is very properly working."

• Read also: Sainz mulled giving Alonso DRS boost against Hamilton

Sainz echoed Binotto's view, suggesting that his in-race intervention was simply part of team and driver's ongoing development together.

"I think it’s a natural progression of my learning process and understanding with the team," he explained.

"I think at that point neither the team nor I expected to be so fast on the overcut that I did to these two drivers. And I was just very keen on transmitting to them by doing an extra lap, I was going to be very quick.

"By taking that extra lap I think we did the right call, the team agreed with me and in the end we did, I think, the right call.

"We overcut the two guys by doing very good pace so [I’m] happy that we keep learning together.

"This is the kind of thing that the more races with the team, we are just going to become stronger, and it’s going to be easier to perform at a higher level once we get to know each other better."

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