Motorsports
Sainz: “I don’t care if Red Bull doesn’t sign me. I prefer Williams, who looked for me from the beginning.”
Among the dozens of commitments a pilot fulfills onboard an aircraft are: different gp and such a special vegas, ferrari quoted Doctor of Medicine Speak exclusively via video conference Carlos Sainz 8pm local time. In other words, in Spain, at 5 o’clock in the morning, MD spoke to the Madrid native about his last race for Ferrari And the mysterious situation he went through this year with Red Bull mercedes They didn’t take advantage of the fact that he’s free to sign until 2025. F1 politics. The Spaniard thought about this three times before packing his bags to leave. williams.
How will you approach this Las Vegas Grand Prix, knowing that it may be your last or best chance to win in the last three races for Ferrari?
I agree that the end of the year may be your best chance to win, but it won’t be your last. There are three races left, and in theory, this one in Las Vegas is the best. But it’s true that things have changed a little this year, and last year we did very well when it was cold because we put more energy into the tires, but this year it’s quite the opposite. That is, the circuit suits our car, but the temperature does not. So we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the end. A win would be the ideal way to continue saying goodbye to the second half of the season with Ferrari and last season’s strong performance in red.
How has Carlos, who arrived at Ferrari with so much enthusiasm at the first test at Maranello in 2021, developed into the driver he is today? In what aspects?
I’m sure I’m making progress in all of them. At the end of the day, four years in F1, four years with a team like Ferrari, four years partnering a great driver like Charles (Leclerc), at the end of the day, they’re all about gaining experience and learning things. Because it’s cumulative and you improve as a driver. One thing that has certainly not changed is the desire that I had when I competed, the same feeling I had when I said goodbye as a Ferrari driver, and obviously always trying to do my best. I remember approaching this project with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm, and I’m sure that enthusiasm still remains.
“At Ferrari I have developed in every way. Spending four years with a team like this, being team-mate of a great driver like Leclerc, it all adds up.”
His time at Ferrari established him as one of the best on the grid.
Yeah, I’ve been given the opportunity to fight for podiums and wins with Ferrari, and I think personally any time I had an opportunity to win a race or be on the podium, I would be there. Then there were some weekends where I was able to finish better than others, that’s for sure. In that sense I’m very happy, to have won four times in F1, to have achieved it with Ferrari, to have achieved it in a very different, very special weekend, nothing I’m very happy, and now I’m clearly looking to the future and trying to achieve my goals. To be continued. I am proud of the last four years at Ferrari.
“I am very happy to have achieved my fourth win in F1 and to have achieved it on a very special weekend with Ferrari, and now I am looking to the future and aiming for the next victory. Masu.”
What is your best moment at Ferrari?
Well, Singapore in 2023 and Mexico in 2024. I think these two stand out. Certainly, winning in Australia in 2024 was very emotional for me. Because it was from appendicitis and winter. And the first win at Silverstone was very emotional. But as co-teams and drivers, those two moments were probably the most beautiful.
And the most difficult? Is the start of 2022 a thorn in your side?
Definitely because this was the first time in my career that I faced a very important challenge of adapting to a car that was initially not fast. I had to change a lot of things about my driving style to adapt to that car. But it’s also true, and looking back now, that’s what I’m most proud of. Because I went through five or six really difficult races and after the seventh or eighth race I started to improve a lot. He started scoring more podiums and eventually took pole positions at Spa and Austin. I could have won the latter race if the first corner with Russell hadn’t happened to me. And I became a stronger driver. I had to expand my range of driving styles and it made me a more complete driver. Because previously I was a driver who could only drive 75% of Formula Car 1, and I myself couldn’t drive fast in that 25%, but I managed to adapt. And now I can say that I believe I can adapt to anything in F1.
“The start of 2022? It was a challenge. Previously I was a driver who could only drive 75% of an F1 car, and I realized that I couldn’t go fast in that 25%, so I managed to adapt.”
If you told me a year ago that the F1 market in 2024 would be very exciting, would you believe me?
No, no…I thought they would really look alike. Above all, I went into the winter of 2023 with almost 90% certainty that I was going to renew my contract with Ferrari and that it would take me off the market quickly. And ultimately it wasn’t.
“I went into the winter of 2023 with almost 90% certainty that I intend to renew my contract with Ferrari.”
You may be one of the best drivers on the grid, but in 2025 you won’t be able to own one of the best cars. Readers are left wondering, “How is that possible?” How do I explain that to them?
Well, Fernando Alonso is one of the best players, but he also doesn’t have a very good car. Hamilton was one of the best this year, but he didn’t have the best car. Unfortunately, in F1, only one or two drivers on a team have access to the best cars. We’ve been fortunate this year to have three or four teams fighting for victory over and over again, but F1 has some very good drivers and if you’re not in the right place at the right time, you’re in the race. We’re not going to go win, and next year I might not be in a place where that team is fighting for wins, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done in the future.
My goal going to Williams is to find a way to compete for wins again. I always use the McLaren example. Where was McLaren three or four years ago and where is it now? This can change quickly, so we always have to be at our best until the opportunity presents itself again.
“Fernando Alonso is one of the best players, but he also doesn’t have a very good car. Or Hamilton this year. My goal with Williams is to find a way to fight for wins again. I always use the example of McLaren. That was three or four years ago, where is he now?”
I’ll ask the question in a different way. At MD you have been very critical of the fact that Mercedes and Red Bull did not take the opportunity to sign him for the 2025 season, do you think they were victims of F1 politics? Because you deserve a winning car.
But everyone is a victim of F1 politics, not just me. I don’t want to play the victim in this situation. Especially since every driver is a victim of many variables and many things that teams consider when signing a driver. It’s not just about speed and talent. There are many other variables that go into why an F1 driver joins a particular team. After all, in that sense, I’m looking at it more philosophically now. Especially when it comes to Red Bull. I don’t think he’s the driver Red Bull is looking for at the moment. Because in their team situation, I’m not their preferred driver profile. And it doesn’t bother me at all. I’d like to choose a Williams-like option. He has been looking for me from the beginning and it is a project that motivates me and I believe that there will be good opportunities in the future.
“Now I have a more philosophical view, especially in the case of Red Bull. I don’t think I’m the driver that Red Bull is looking for at the moment in the team situation, because I don’t think I’m the driver they want at the moment. Because I’m not a driver.” The driver profile is what they like anyway, and I don’t care about that at all. ”
They didn’t sign you because you were number one, Red Bull wanted number two.
No, I didn’t say that. That’s what you say.
“I would like to take an option like Williams, who looked for me from the beginning. This is a project that motivates me and I believe that there will be good opportunities in the future. ”
Perfect, let me clarify that this is my opinion and move on to another question. If Ferrari wins in 2025, will you somehow feel like part of that success is yours too, thanks to all the years of development work on the car?
Yes, I honestly feel part of the development this car has made over the last 3-4 years. After all, drivers are a fundamental part of the team’s gear and car development. We were the ones giving the instructions and I think, along with Charles, we both obviously had a very important influence on how the car was developed and we were on the same page on a lot of occasions. And I think ultimately drivers are a fundamental part of that development. Especially since we are the ones who give the car instructions on what it needs.
And yes, I’m also very proud that, for example, from last year to this year, we made it our duty to improve in racing. We changed some things over the winter and wanted to be confident in that and push in that direction, but the race pace of the car going into this year’s race is a world apart from last year’s car. These are examples that finally make me feel part of that development.
“If Ferrari wins in 2025, will I feel part of that success is mine? Yes, I feel part of the development of this car.”
He reiterated that he is leaving the door open to Ferrari in the future. Why are you so sure you can wear red again?
Because I will not close the door to Ferrari or any team. Unfortunately, there are only 10 teams in F1 and the last thing they want is to close their doors. Because you never know when you’ll need or want to be on a team again. And the worst thing you can do is clumsily close the door on your team and take away their 10% chance of getting into F1.
I’m going to keep the door open for Ferrari, just like I’ve kept the door open for every team I’ve ever had. Because you never know when you’re going to need it or when you’re going to have the opportunity to come back to that team. And with Ferrari, preferably even more so. Because I have a very good relationship with everyone who works at Ferrari. Nothing has ever broken at Ferrari in terms of relationships or situations. It’s just a combination of circumstances. The seven-time world champion (Hamilton) wanted to come to Ferrari, so in that sense I had to leave Ferrari. But I don’t and never will close the door on anyone.
“There was nothing wrong with Ferrari. It was just a situational case. I leave the door open to the future. I will not close the door to any team.”
Thank you very much, Carlos. Good luck in Las Vegas.
because of you
Source: Mundo Deportivo
I am a writer at Sportish, where I mainly cover sports news. I’ve also written for The Guardian and ESPN Brasil, and my work has been featured on NBC Sports, SI.com and more. Before working in journalism, I was an athlete: I played football for Colgate University and competed in the US Open Cross Country Championships.