Carlos Sainz’s four-year tenure at Scuderia Ferrari fell in need of the System 1 championship glory or tally of victories he might need envisioned. Nonetheless, the Spanish driver’s position in solidifying the Maranello crew’s competitiveness clearly can’t be missed. In his closing System 1 marketing campaign driving in pink, 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 crew’s determination to retain him over Carlos Sainz when making house for seven-time System 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 by way of uncooked velocity.
In qualifying, Carlos Sainz made regular progress all through his stint at Ferrari. Within the 2024 System 1 championship, he achieved his closest deficit to Charles Leclerc but, trailing by a median of simply 0.037 seconds per lap in comparable periods. 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 recent challenges, significantly within the 2022 and 2023 System 1 seasons. Regardless of these hurdles, Carlos Sainz persistently pushed his Maranello teammate and delivered standout performances.
Whereas Charles Leclerc’s edge in outright velocity and race-day prowess was evident most of the time, the Spaniard regularly rose to the event, outperforming him in a number of races on pure advantage. Notably, Carlos Sainz excelled in circumstances that uncovered Ferrari’s front-limited nature or in low-grip, low-downforce eventualities, areas the place Charles Leclerc’s aggressive, precision-focused type proved much less efficient. The Monegasque driver himself acknowledged that his razor-sharp qualifying method typically faltered underneath 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 circumstances made their partnership a robust and dynamic pairing.
Charles Leclerc admitted that qualifying on very low-grip tracks is just not certainly one of 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 diminished air density, posed distinctive challenges. The Monegasque driver famous that he tends to push arduous throughout a very powerful qualifying laps, which regularly results in struggles in circumstances like these in Mexico Metropolis and on the Monza circuit. He highlighted the problem 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 tougher to excel.
Carlos Sainz, in distinction, has persistently excelled in circumstances 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 one of the well-balanced in System 1. The Spanish driver regularly 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 System 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 crew’s most dependable and devoted contributors. That is underscored by his inclusion in Ferrari’s high 10 all-time listing of Grand Prix race starters, a milestone facilitated by the expansive fashionable System 1 calendar however nonetheless indicative of his enduring presence and dedication.
Ferrari’s big 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 crew used within the 2022 System 1 championship, when the Spaniard secured his first victory, within the British Grand Prix on the Silverstone circuit. The farewell, attended by key crew members, together with Charles Leclerc, served as a heartfelt acknowledgment of Carlos Sainz’s contributions to the Maranello crew and his integral position in its current journey.
Ferrari crew principal Frederic Vasseur defined that the farewell was the easiest way to thank everybody for his or her contributions to the crew, 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 sturdy seasons, sure moments stood out as significantly emotional. The previous Alfa Romeo crew 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 time break, throughout which Carlos Sainz achieved pole place in Monza and a victory in Singapore on the Marina Bay avenue circuit.
Frederic Vasseur emphasised the significance of the Spanish driver’s contribution to the Maranello crew’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 state of affairs, Frederic Vasseur praised Carlos Sainz for sustaining knowledgeable, devoted method all year long, combating 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 motive to really feel pleased with his time with the Maranello crew. On the identical time, the Ferrari crew 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 might compete for System 1 world championships.
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