Sainz still 'picking up momentum', not yet at peak

Carlos Sainz feels he's not yet at 100 per cent with his Ferrari mount despite his performances of late, and the Spaniard expects to "peak" in the second half of the 2022 season.

Sainz was outperformed by his Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc in this year's opening races but has gradually inched closer to the Monegasque.

At Silverstone, a flawless performance from Sainz saw him clinch his first career pole and maiden victory in Formula 1.

And he would have perhaps challenged Leclerc for a consecutive win in Austria had a spectacular engine failure not put paid to his efforts.

The 27-year-old is happy with his recent performances but insists there will be more to come in the back half of the 2022 season.

• Read also: Austria marshals explain slow response to Sainz fire

"I think we've been doing a better job these last few weekends," Sainz told Sky F1 in Austria.

"I think since Monaco... Monaco was already a bit of a turning point, fighting there for pole position. Also in Baku, we fought pole. In Canada, we fought for the win.

"I've been picking up a bit of momentum. I wouldn't say I'm 100 per cent there yet. I think there's things still to improve, like we saw in the race in Silverstone.

"Definitely I feel a lot more in touch and like it could come anytime again soon."

Sainz's current 75-point deficit to Max Verstappen in the Drivers' championship would appear to exclude the Ferrari charger from title fight, which now looks like a straightforward battle between the Red Bull driver and Leclerc.

But Sainz says its still early days and warns his front-running rivals not to count their chickens before they've hatched.

"I say let's see at the end of the year," he said. "I think it's still early.

"It was early when I finished P2 in Bahrain and everyone said it's going to be an easy walk in the park for Ferrari.

"I said it when I was in my low moment in Barcelona after the spin in the race, and I say it now: it's too early still to tell and to say.

"I understand people that say [I'm not the championship-challenging Ferrari driver], because it hasn't been my easiest start of the season.

"But if you look closely to my last four or five seasons in F1, I've always peaked in the second half and I've always done a very strong second half, so let's wait and see."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter