Carlos Sainz views the Austin race as a genuine benchmark for Ferrari's performance.

Carlos Sainz regards the upcoming US Grand Prix as a critical evaluation of Ferrari's aspirations to secure their first Formula One constructors' championship since 2008.

Ferrari introduced enhancements during their home race at Monza on September 1st, where Sainz's teammate, Charles Leclerc, achieved victory and subsequently claimed pole position in the next race held in Azerbaijan.

Last year in Austin, Leclerc started from pole but faced disqualification during the race due to excessive wear on the rear skid block of his car, while Sainz finished in third place.

Currently, Ferrari occupies the third position in the constructors' standings, trailing the reigning champions Red Bull by 34 points and the leaders McLaren by 75 points, with six races remaining in the season.

Earlier in the season, their car exhibited instability in high-speed corners; however, this issue seems to have been addressed, although the last three circuits do not represent the typical challenges that lie ahead.

Notably, Ferrari has outperformed Red Bull in four of the last six races.

"We are returning to conventional tracks featuring long, combined corners and high-speed sections. We will assess our performance on these types of circuits and determine if we can maintain the competitive edge we demonstrated in Singapore, Baku, and Monza," Sainz conveyed to the media.

The Spanish driver expressed that the recent tracks have enhanced confidence in the effectiveness of the upgrades across various circuits.

"I believe this will serve as the most significant test to date for us to ascertain whether the upgrades we have implemented are functioning effectively on a more standard track like the one we encounter here in Austin," he remarked.

Sainz, who is set to join Williams at the conclusion of the season, noted that there are no major changes to the car for Austin following a front wing upgrade in Singapore.

"It will help us determine whether our improved performance in the last three races is attributable to the tracks being more suited to our car or if the upgrades have significantly contributed to our competitiveness in those events.

"Austin will provide clarity on which factor is more influential."

SportsLigue