In his third year at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz (29) will probably end up beating his teammate, Charles Leclerc, whom he leads by 15 points in the championship, with six races remaining. His initial goal was not only to beat the Monegasque, but to “be world champion” this year, for that he prepared thoroughly, but he did not count on Red Bull to be so strong, sweeping, with the option of being champion Max Verstappen already this Saturday at the Qatar GP.
Before traveling to Doha, the man from Madrid reviewed his year 2023 in a meeting with a group of journalists organized by his sponsor Estrella Galicia 0.0 in Madrid. Sainz is confident that in 2024 he will give more fight to the Dutch and the energy team. These were his main reflections.
“Finishing second in the Constructors’ World Championship is the main objective, especially taking into account that we have been able to cut quite a few points off Mercedes in the last races [20 points behind], it would be a good extra motivation for the team before start 2024. On a personal level, simply achieve positive results, get the most out of the car, and if the opportunity for a podium or victory comes, be there to achieve it, but with this car we don’t know if it can happen.”
“I am always optimistic when the season starts and I was also optimistic last year and we stumbled. But in the last two years we have been the only ones capable of standing up to Red Bull. Now with the podium in Monza and the victory in Singapore we have seen “With these regulations, Red Bull is practically unbeatable, but if anyone can beat them, it’s us. I’m in the best place to try again next year.”
“I wasn’t comfortable last year or this year either, it’s not a car that I love, that I enjoy or get the most out of, but thanks to last year’s experience I have learned to change my driving style and find things that help me go fast. They are difficult cars to drive.”
“I will try to have my future decided in winter; in the short, medium and long term you already know what my priority is [renewing with Ferrari]. If you are in a good moment it is always easier to negotiate. I don’t think the last races have changed the expectations that Ferrari has of me or I of them, we both know of our mutual ability and potential that we have, even without having won in Singapore.
“[Ferrari] We are a team with the ability to react, we have worked to turn the situation around, we have been able to improve the car during the year after a bad surprise at the start. For me it is Red Bull that makes the difference, “If Red Bull weren’t there we would be having a decent year and talking about one of the most even and fun years in F1 with Aston Martin, McLaren and Mercedes. And suddenly there is someone half a second ahead.”
“It would require Hamilton and Fernando to have several zeros, and I don’t see the world champions having many zeros, to be honest, with the experience they have.” “Sainz is currently fifth, 24 points behind Alonso and 40 behind Hamilton.”
“In winter I prepared for the option of fighting for a World Championship and from the first test we saw that it was going to be practically impossible, I prepared differently, I focused in the preseason tests on understanding the car even though I didn’t like it, the year Last year I didn’t understand anything and this year I already understand more or less what to do with this car. That has been paying off little by little. At the beginning of the season it was exasperating because there was no car to win or to get on the podium, and on the day that I could do 3rd or 5th, something failed, qualy failed, race, strategy, the FIA… It ended up arriving, late, but it arrived in Singapore and Monza”.
“It’s not a question of me not wanting to renew, it’s because we haven’t sat down, there’s no time, we’re traveling all day, now the priority for both of us is to finish the season as best as possible, why get distracted when you have four months of winters to sit calmly and talk about it. Sainz ends his contract with Ferrari at the end of the 2024 World Cup.
“I have to see how I can do this type of racing more at the beginning of the season, to “put it all together” as I say, put the free practice, the qualifying, the race, the strategy, tires… and do it for an entire season, but It’s true that I haven’t changed anything, I do the same thing as at the beginning of the season but suddenly the results start to come out, that’s how sport is: you have a plan, a job, a talent, and for some reason in four races nothing comes out. and in the fifth it comes out. It is difficult to analyze it, sport is a roller coaster on a psychological level, you have to be patient that it is going to come, you have no choice but to be patient.”
You believe that we are fighting to be number 1, it is very clear in our contracts that the number one priority is Ferrari, let Ferrari win; It has been and will always be like this, it is your priority when you are at Ferrari. There are races in which you will be in front and others in the back and you will have to help your partner. Charles and I have never had any problems, we have worked together, close to each other, that’s the beauty of Ferrari.”
Even so, in Monza they fought side by side, with the risk of being left out, for third place on the podium. According to Sainz, “in Monza they trusted our judgment and that we could fight without having an accident, we showed that we are capable of fighting and having a competitive but also respectful relationship on the track. And I took it.”
