In an interview with Diario AS, Carlos Sainz emphasized that his goal for the rest of the season is to take another win, and next year the Spanish Ferrari driver hopes to compete for the title.
Q: Are you tired of questions on the same topic that many people ask, including journalists: is there a number 1 driver and a number 2 driver in Ferrari?
Carlos Sainz: After the first few races of the season, such questions were understandable as Charles Leclerc was clearly one step ahead in both qualifying and the race. But closer to the middle of the season, I seriously added, started fighting more aggressively on the track, but it seems some didn’t like it – you can say it upset me.
In the beginning I was criticized for not fighting in the leading group, and when I started doing it regularly some people were surprised. It seemed to some that all victories should go to Charles. It was especially frustrating when I read such opinions in the press. But I tried not to pay too much attention to it.
Q: Does Ferrari have an advantage of having two strong drivers in the team?
Carlos Sainz: I think so. Mattia Binotto and the team as a whole believe this is a blessing, this is one of our strengths. At the same time, it’s clear that some fans don’t want both Scuderia drivers to perform at the same level, although I personally think that when partners show the best possible results, it’s the best scenario.
Q: What can you do to end such discussions?
Carlos Sainz: Keep showing high results.
Q: Chassis and engine upgrades are performed by base personnel in Maranello. And how to achieve a more coordinated work of the race team, more accurate pit stops, avoid mistakes in the choice of tactics and their implementation?
Carlos Sainz: We have to go through trial and error, which we are doing this year. When mistakes are made, lessons must be learned so that they don’t happen again. The key point is exactly this: it’s not about how many miscalculations have been made, but how to prevent their recurrence. And so far I have not seen Ferrari make the same mistake twice.
All situations are different, some involve tactical miscalculations, others hitches at pit stops, but it never happened again. Because of this we missed the championship win, but I’m sure that when we get the chance to win the championship again, we won’t make the same mistakes again.
Q: Max Verstappen has had impressive dominance since the second third of the season – was it due to the driver’s talent or the speed of his car?
Carlos Sainz: It’s about the car, the driver and the team. In addition, Red Bull is good at both tactics and pit stops. Everyone is running like clockwork, the team has been perfect for the last five or six races. Moreover, even if Max makes a mistake or allows a turnaround, as was the case in Barcelona or Hungary, they quickly pay for themselves. All this explains why they have achieved such dominance.
Q: How important is it to you to get at least one more win before the end of the season?
Carlos Sainz: This is my main goal for the remaining six races. I understand this is not easy because Mercedes is already overtaking us, Red Bull is not allowing mistakes and Max is performing at a very high level. But I’m preparing for every race, aiming for the win, and then it will be clear whether it is possible to get it or not.
Q: In a few years you will be celebrating your 30th birthday – do you think you have already become a mature professional?
Carlos Sainz: I’m probably close, but I look at riders like Fernando Alonso, who manages to start every year with renewed vigor, and I think the pursuit of professional excellence is an endless process. With every season in Formula 1 you get better, you learn something new. This is my eighth year at the World Cup, but I keep learning.
My goal is to become world champion one day. I hope we have a good car next year and I can fight for wins from the start of the season. It’s important not to allow recessions in the first half of the championship because I know that when I fight for high results, I manage to stay at this level.
That is my goal and we are working with Ferrari to have a good car again in 2023 and try to make the team as a whole better. In general we will try not to miss it if we have a chance again next year.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
