Carlos Sainz wins the 2024 System 1 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, and at this level, Ferrari is as soon as once more combating for one thing important. After years of seasons with lackluster endings, the Maranello workforce is competing for the Constructors’ Championship for the primary time within the turbo-hybrid period, with solely 4 races remaining within the season. A state of affairs that was onerous to foretell just a few months in the past, even for the incurable optimists. The engineers of the Prancing Horse managed to get the SF-24 again on monitor when it comes to growth after dropping confidence because of the aerodynamic updates launched on the Circuit de Catalunya within the Spanish Grand Prix.
A ground design that fully derailed the technical plan for the championship, throwing away no less than three months of the present System 1 season. Because the Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit, the Ferrari SF-24 automobiles have virtually at all times fought for victory with each drivers, on circuits with fully completely different traits. This second consecutive victory in a busy triple-header allowed them to surpass the “derelict” Purple Bull, which has been in free fall since Might, and it concurrently gave Ferrari the possibility to significantly purpose on the standings devoted to the F1 constructors.
Though Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz haven’t any likelihood of competing for the drivers’ championship crown, as they’re too many factors behind the Dutchman Max Verstappen, they’re delivering actually distinctive performances. Above even the rosiest expectations. Carlos Sainz was craving one final spotlight behind the wheel of the SF-24, and due to an impeccable Mexican weekend from the primary session onward, he managed for the primary time in his profession to win multiple Grand Prix in the identical season. With urge for food rising as one eats, the Spaniard may win different races earlier than bidding farewell to the historic Maranello workforce, fueling his need to enter Ferrari’s historical past.
The Spanish driver is conscious that, barring extraordinary surprises, the close to future won’t supply him the possibility to battle for victory. Alternatively, the present worth of Williams is just not a lot in the meanwhile, and it’s unlikely to enhance to such an extent that it might enable a return to the highest. That is an additional motivation for Carlos Sainz to complement his file and to enter Ferrari’s historical past. Sure, as a result of successful the Constructors’ title with the Italian aspect would enable the Spaniard to depart an essential mark on his work.
It could not be a private title to indicate off however a big legacy after 4 years of onerous work within the crimson workforce’s court docket. A kind of tangible proof that the Maranello lineup may very well be thought-about one of the best on the grid, able to maximizing weekend race outcomes regardless of the the numerous ups and downs which were encountered throughout the season. Frankly, the Spanish driver felt the blow. Being all of the sudden relieved of his duties was a very sudden state of affairs. And exactly due to this, it hurts much more. And it couldn’t be completely different.
When the dream of Ferrari president John Elkann, and that of hundreds of thousands of followers, to deliver Lewis Hamilton to Italy got here true, there was now not room for the Spaniard. However Carlos Sainz confirmed what resilience actually means. He absorbed the blow, rolled up his sleeves, and by no means disparaged the Maranello workforce that had fed him, although he was primarily proven the door when a renewal appeared the almost certainly state of affairs. Certainly, the son of the two-time World Rally champion has grown in each respect in comparison with the younger man who joined Ferrari in 2021.
He has realized to win, to be sooner in qualifying, with top-of-the-line within the area for single-lap efficiency on the opposite aspect of the storage. Regardless of the pure rivalry with Charles Leclerc, their collaboration has been a invaluable asset for the Prancing Horse. Though the anticipation of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in crimson is feverish, there’s a subliminal sense that, ultimately, Carlos Sainz would possibly genuinely have been able to assembly the Italian workforce’s ambitions within the coming years. This can be a sentiment shared by a good portion of the fan base.
Reality be informed, a sensational return of Carlos Sainz can’t be dominated out.
On the finish of the 12 months, Ferrari and Carlos Sainz will due to this fact half methods virtually reluctantly, as each events had been happy with the skilled collaboration. On multiple event, there was speak of a doable return to Maranello when Lewis Hamilton decides to hold up his helmet, a state of affairs removed from unlikely. The final World Champion for the crimson workforce, Kimi Raikkonen, who received the drivers’ title within the 2007 System 1 season, returned to the Italian automobile for beginning with the 2014 championship, resulting in a second sporting life that lasted one other 5 seasons.
Furthermore, each Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are demonstrating that, with the required bodily preparation and ample coaching, it’s doable to be extremely aggressive even previous the age of 40 in as we speak’s System 1. This 12 months Carlos Sainz turned 30, and, age-wise, he can nonetheless race at excessive ranges for a lot of extra seasons. Within the meantime, he can solely look to shut his present journey at Ferrari in the easiest way doable, aiming to assist the Constructors’ Championship battle, a state of affairs that will bind Carlos Sainz to Ferrari by a fair stronger widespread thread than is already the case.
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