Carlos Sainz’s four-year tenure at Scuderia Ferrari fell wanting the Components 1 championship glory or tally of victories he may need envisioned. Nonetheless, the Spanish driver’s position in solidifying the Maranello staff’s competitiveness clearly can’t be ignored. In his last Components 1 marketing campaign driving in crimson, he managed to shut the hole to Charles Leclerc greater than ever earlier than, showcasing his worth as a teammate and competitor.
That mentioned, Charles Leclerc firmly retained his standing as Ferrari’s main driver, and the Maranello staff’s resolution to retain him over Carlos Sainz when making house for seven-time Components 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was supported by the numbers. Whereas Carlos Sainz was undeniably the second-best driver throughout their partnership, the margin was persistently slim, forming a robust and well-matched duo. On most efficiency metrics, Charles Leclerc led about two-thirds of the time, together with a clear sweep within the qualifying head-to-head throughout all 4 seasons. Over their shared racing laps, the Monegasque driver was forward 62% of the time and completed in higher positions 63% of the events when each drivers reached the chequered flag.
When judged purely on factors, a notoriously imperfect metric for evaluating drivers, Carlos Sainz nonetheless made a robust case, contributing 46.7% of Ferrari’s factors haul throughout their time collectively. This highlights his consistency and talent to capitalize on alternatives, even when barely trailing his Maranello teammate when it comes to uncooked pace.
In qualifying, Carlos Sainz made regular progress all through his stint at Ferrari. Within the 2024 Components 1 championship, he achieved his closest deficit to Charles Leclerc but, trailing by a mean of simply 0.037 seconds per lap in comparable classes. This marked a private greatest, enhancing from a tenth behind in his debut 12 months. Nonetheless, the introduction of ground-effect vehicles in 2022, coupled with the Monegasque driver’s speedy adaptation to the brand new braking and cornering calls for, introduced Carlos Sainz with contemporary challenges, significantly within the 2022 and 2023 Components 1 seasons. Regardless of these hurdles, Carlos Sainz persistently pushed his Maranello teammate and delivered standout performances.
Whereas Charles Leclerc’s edge in outright pace and race-day prowess was evident as a rule, the Spaniard often rose to the event, outperforming him in a number of races on pure advantage. Notably, Carlos Sainz excelled in situations that uncovered Ferrari’s front-limited nature or in low-grip, low-downforce eventualities, areas the place Charles Leclerc’s aggressive, precision-focused fashion proved much less efficient. The Monegasque driver himself acknowledged that his razor-sharp qualifying method typically faltered below such circumstances, leaving the door open for Carlos Sainz to shine.
Finally, whereas Charles Leclerc remained Ferrari’s spearhead, Carlos Sainz’s relentless pursuit of enchancment and his knack for thriving in difficult situations made their partnership a robust and dynamic pairing.
Charles Leclerc admitted that qualifying on very low-grip tracks isn’t one in all his strengths, referencing his efficiency in Mexico the place he certified 0.319 seconds behind his Ferrari teammate. He defined that the high-altitude circuit, which makes use of a high-downforce configuration however experiences decreased air density, posed distinctive challenges. The Monegasque driver famous that he tends to push laborious throughout crucial qualifying laps, which regularly results in struggles in situations like these in Mexico Metropolis and on the Monza circuit. He highlighted the issue of adapting to tracks with low grip, the place a extra measured method is required, acknowledging that that is an space the place he finds it more durable to excel.
Carlos Sainz, in distinction, has persistently excelled in situations that problem others. This was evident early in his Ferrari tenure, notably on the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix in windy Portimão, the place he outqualified Charles Leclerc. His adaptability and talent in such eventualities complemented Charles Leclerc’s strengths, making their partnership probably the most well-balanced in Components 1. The Spanish driver often delivered when his Maranello teammate was not at his peak, making certain the Italian facet remained aggressive throughout a wider vary of circumstances.
Over his 4 years with the Scuderia, Carlos Sainz carved out a significant place in Ferrari’s storied Components 1 historical past. Whereas not among the many pantheon of Maranello legends, a distinction reserved for a choose few, the Spaniard has certainly earned recognition as one of many staff’s most dependable and devoted contributors. That is underscored by his inclusion in Ferrari’s prime 10 all-time listing of Grand Prix race starters, a milestone facilitated by the expansive fashionable Components 1 calendar however nonetheless indicative of his enduring presence and dedication.
Ferrari’s large respect for Carlos Sainz was evident throughout his emotional farewell earlier final week on the Fiorano circuit. The occasion included a symbolic gesture the place each Carlos Sainz and his father, Carlos senior, took to the observe within the F1-75 automobile, the single-seater which the Maranello staff used within the 2022 Components 1 championship, when the Spaniard secured his first victory, within the British Grand Prix on the Silverstone circuit. The farewell, attended by key staff members, together with Charles Leclerc, served as a heartfelt acknowledgment of Carlos Sainz’s contributions to the Maranello staff and his integral position in its latest journey.
Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vasseur defined that the farewell was the easiest way to thank everybody for his or her contributions to the staff, highlighting Carlos Sainz’s position throughout his time with the Italian facet within the final 4 years. The French supervisor mirrored on Carlos Sainz’s tenure, noting that whereas they shared a minimum of two robust seasons, sure moments stood out as significantly emotional. The previous Alfa Romeo staff boss cited the Melbourne race win, which got here only a week after Carlos Sainz underwent surgical procedure, in addition to final 12 months’s restoration after the summer season break, throughout which Carlos Sainz achieved pole place in Monza and a victory in Singapore on the Marina Bay road circuit.
Frederic Vasseur emphasised the significance of the Spanish driver’s contribution to the Maranello staff’s progress, acknowledging the troublesome circumstances the longer term Williams driver confronted when receiving a difficult name from him again in February, when he was knowledgeable he wouldn’t obtain a contract extension from Ferrari. Regardless of the troublesome scenario, Frederic Vasseur praised Carlos Sainz for sustaining an expert, devoted method all year long, preventing relentlessly till the ultimate moments of the season. He admitted that the farewell itself carried important emotional weight for him personally.
Fred Vasseur defined that after ending second in his Ferrari farewell at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this month, Carlos Sainz had each cause to really feel pleased with his time with the Maranello staff. On the identical time, the Ferrari staff principal famous that Carlos Sainz had each justification for expressing delight in his four-year stint, having contributed to bringing Ferrari again to a place the place it may compete for Components 1 world championships.
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