Hours after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz was struggling to carry again the tears. A monitor was wheeled out into the paddock to show a farewell video Ferrari had produced as a send-off after the Spaniard’s 4 years at Maranello.
All staff members had been sporting a particular cap that Ferrari had produced for the event, with Sainz sporting his backwards so the embroidered “Grazie Carlos” message on the again was higher seen.
Sainz’s faultless second place behind Lando Norris was not fairly sufficient to assist Ferrari snatch the world title away from McLaren, however it signified the tip of a four-year interval during which the 30-year-old left no stone unturned to assist his dream staff return to the entrance of Formulation 1.
It was additionally the emotional apotheosis of what has been a difficult yr for Sainz, studying on the eve of the season that his fourth marketing campaign in Maranello can be his final, with the Madrid native the unlucky sufferer of Ferrari’s profitable efforts to pry Lewis Hamilton unfastened from Mercedes.
Dropping your seat in F1 isn’t straightforward, however Sainz had each proper to be deflated after he had already confirmed doubters fallacious as soon as earlier than. When his 2021 transfer to Ferrari was revealed, few observers imagined he can be something greater than a strong second driver to Ferrari’s golden youngster Charles Leclerc, arguably F1’s quickest qualifier.
However whereas Leclerc certainly had the measure of Sainz over one lap, the Spaniard’s expertise, dedication and work ethic ensured he managed not solely to maintain up with Leclerc as they traded spells of getting the higher hand on one another, however he additionally performed an instrumental function in serving to Ferrari flip its kind round beneath staff boss Fred Vasseur.
Certainly, some fiery radio messages apart as they fought over the identical turf at instances, Sainz and Leclerc stored their relationship intact in what has been a complementary alliance, with Leclerc commissioning a tribute helmet to his team-mate for final weekend. It’s clear that Ferrari would have been very happy to proceed with the pairing had the distinctive alternative to signal Hamilton not offered itself, however with no different top-line seats changing into accessible, that did not make Sainz’s impending transfer away from a race-winning automotive any simpler to take.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
Photograph by: Ferrari
Sainz bows out with 4 race wins for Ferrari, two coming this season as he recovered from appendicitis to win in Melbourne, and one other in Mexico. “Life is such a rollercoaster,” Sainz informed F1’s Past the Grid podcast. “I bear in mind being very emotional on that Australian GP podium as a result of there was my dad there, my supervisor, my girlfriend. I used to be clearly enthusiastic about my mother, and so they’ve all seen me endure in the course of the winter. And once I say endure, I do not imply I used to be crying behind closed doorways, however I used to be truly damage.
“I used to be damage as a result of I did not count on it. I wasn’t ready for that sort of information. I used to be a bit in shock for some time, after which I regrouped and acquired coaching once more. However I bear in mind after that win in Australia, enthusiastic about how fortunate I’m of the those who I’ve round me, giving me that inside energy to beat what it was on the time, a troublesome second.”
Sainz admitted to being indignant on the information of his substitute, however over time he has come to just accept Ferrari’s determination to go after Hamilton at his expense. “I might sit right here and say no, however on the time after they provide you with this information, you are indignant. You do not perceive it. You curse. You assume the whole lot in your life is horrible and you do not perceive. However time cures the whole lot.
“You perceive Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, and probably the greatest if not the very best in historical past, goes to exchange you at Ferrari, and it’s worthwhile to be one of many two drivers sacrificed for that to occur. I additionally perceive it was by no means going to be Charles. Charles has been the venture of Ferrari ever since he is been a junior driver.
“So, I understood I needed to be the one being changed from the start. I simply clearly did not agree a lot on the time. However hey, you find yourself agreeing and you find yourself getting on with it. I informed [Vasseur and CEO John Elkann] what I believed and moved on and promised them that I used to be going to present my best possible for Ferrari.”
It will have been simpler to maneuver on if different successful seats had change into accessible, however McLaren’s line-up is settled and neither Pink Bull nor Mercedes determined to make a transfer for him. As an alternative, Sainz opted to signal for Williams over the summer season within the data that combating for race wins would now not be on his fast horizon because the British staff faces a large-scale rebuild. Following a non-public filming day Sainz, wearing all-white overalls, made his official Williams debut on Tuesday’s Abu Dhabi tyre check.
“I do not assume I match into the Pink Bull scenario,” he stated. “That they had me accessible for six months, and so they did not choose me. And I feel it is as a result of I merely do not match into the kind of driver that they want. I am utterly tremendous with that, so I do not see it like a misplaced alternative to not wait until December. With James, I can not clarify to you ways a lot I felt wished and so they did an unimaginable job convincing me.”
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photograph by: Ferrari
Sainz’s remaining Ferrari F1 win got here in October, the place he dominated the Mexican Grand Prix from pole. Because the races as a Ferrari driver stored ticking away, he was aware of Mexico probably being his final win. Due to this fact, Ferrari’s upswing in kind was tinged with melancholy as he realised he was leaving a staff that he had helped change into able to competing for championships.
“It’s bittersweet as a result of it provides me a sense Ferrari is likely to be within the battle for the world championship subsequent yr and I cannot be there to make use of it,” he stated on the time. “I feel it might have been fairly straightforward for me to lose a little bit of motivation and to lose a little bit of the drive to make it occur. I am pleased with the way in which that I’ve managed to maintain myself in it and clearly making an attempt to assist the staff now as a lot as I can to win this constructors’ How Carlos Sainz confirmed his class throughout robust Ferrari farewell tour as a result of it might be the right goodbye.
Ferrari finally got here up 14 factors brief to knock McLaren off its perch, however Sainz nonetheless gave the send-off he deserved. For his driving and technical talents and his function in Ferrari’s resurgence. But additionally for the exemplary approach he has carried himself over the previous 10 months.
“It was emotional on the in-lap with my engineer speaking to me on the radio,’ he mirrored. “On the identical time, I am very grateful to be a part of this wonderful staff for 4 years. I’ve had the chance to win my first races, my first pole positions, my first podiums.
“I’ve confirmed to myself and to everybody that I could be combating for race wins and for podiums if I’ve the best automotive.”
F1’s clean operator has confirmed he’s an aesthetic operator, too.
On this article
Filip Cleeren
Formulation 1
Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
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