Ferrari: Carlos Sainz crucial in keeping 2024 F1 world championship dream alive
Today at 05:14 AM
As a Formula 1 driver at the wheel of his Ferrari, Carlos Sainz is not satisfied with his performance in recent races. In the Singapore Grand Prix, he drove an “honest” race, but as we know, the result was severely limited by the poor outcome of the qualifying session on Saturday. Things didn't go well at the Baku City Circuit in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix either, as his comeback attempt ended in disappointment with a retirement and a zero points finish after a collision with the Red Bull RB20 of Sergio Perez with just one lap until the end of the race. The same goes for the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit in front of the Tifosi, where his 4th-place finish starkly contrasted with his Maranello teammate’s extraordinary victory. In these three races, Carlos Sainz himself has been far from pleased with his performance.
Beyond the results, his feeling with the SF-24 car seemed noticeably inferior compared to Charles Leclerc’s, who, with the latest aerodynamic package of updates to the car, thanks to changes to the floor, rear, and front wings introduced by the Maranello technical team, has gained an extra level of confidence that made a significant difference. Comparing two drivers on the same team is never pleasant, but it provides a direct measure of a driver's mental and physical capabilities at certain stages of the Formula 1 championship. Charles Leclerc is a tough competitor, but the Spaniard has shown on several occasions that he has the potential to outperform his Maranello teammate.
Moreover, considering Carlos Sainz’s future, this final part of the 2024 Formula 1 championship must not be easy. The Spanish driver, to put it bluntly and without unnecessary comments that “insult” Carlos Sainz' intelligence, has been dismissed by Ferrari and judged, in the prime of his career, as inferior to the talent of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is nearing 40. The British driver will join the Italian side starting next January and will face off against Charles Leclerc. It's not an easy challenge, considering the great competitiveness of the Monegasque.
As know by now, Carlos Sainz has signed with Williams for the following two seasons. Despite the fact that Audi's offer was far more advantageous from a financial point of view and the German team was ready to make Carlos Sainz its cornerstone, in the end, the current Ferrari driver chose to join the Grove-based team. In simple terms, it's a step down in his career. Carlos Sainz is an excellent driver, but he never fully convinced Ferrari's management. That's the reality. Four seasons in which he performed well, but he couldn't achieve the goal he had set for himself: becoming Formula 1 world champion with the historic Italian team.
Nonetheless, Carlos Sainz is offering his full support to the Maranello team for the final part of the Formula 1 championship. Before making yet another move in his career, Carlos Sainz still has a couple of tasks to complete for Ferrari. The first, on a more personal note, is his desire to win one more time at the wheel of the SF-24. A victory in the remaining six races would allow him to leave the team with another achievement under his belt. However, this will not be an easy goal to reach. McLaren is in great form and will start the final two months with favorable predictions. Then there’s Red Bull, which will introduce a new aerodynamic update package at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, in order to return to the top of the field.
As if that weren't enough, achieving this final goal also means beating his teammate, who currently seems in good form and determined to push to the end. Carlos Sainz’s victories with Ferrari are “only” three. The first came at the controversial British Grand Prix two years ago, when a questionable strategy from the Maranello pit wall on Charles Leclerc’s car, combined with his own determination, allowed him to secure his first Formula 1 win. The second victory came at the Singapore Grand Prix, where the number 55 Ferrari was the only car capable of defeating the phenomenal Red Bull RB19.
His third triumph in red, an epic one considering the appendicitis surgery he had undergone less than two weeks earlier, came at the start of the current Formula 1 season at the Albert Park circuit in the Australian Grand Prix. This is Carlos Sainz's record as he approaches each race with the intention to take the race victory, and it's for this reason that he would like to enrich his Ferrari achievements in this final part of the campaign. Six races are not too few to try, especially considering there are also three 100 kilometer Sprint Races that, though less significant than the Sunday main event, are still important competitions that award valuable points.
Furthermore, the constructors’ championship is still open for Scuderia Ferrari, which believes it can fight for this goal. Carlos Sainz will do everything to support the Prancing Horse, and the same goes for helping Charles Leclerc if the Monegasque driver can miraculously close the gap to Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the drivers’ title race. However, to keep these hopes alive, Carlos Sainz emphasizes that the Maranello team must prove the recent progress is not just a result of the favorable circuits. At tracks like Brazil, Austin, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, it will be essential to give their all.
These are circuits where Ferrari hasn't shown great performance in recent years. This is why the Circuit of The Americas in Austin will be decisive, as the American race track will provide a clearer indication of the SF-24's competitiveness. The Ferrari single-seater will also receive further updates, among other things. In all of this, Carlos Sainz’s contribution will be vital, as both Italian cars will need to be at their best to compete for a strong result against well-prepared teams like McLaren and Red Bull. We await Texas for the first answers.
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