F1 | Carlos Sainz opens up about his 2022 season expectations, relationship with Leclerc and Ferrari’s F1-75: We just want to do well this year
The Ferrari’s Spaniard, is ready to fight with his new single-seater, and to face new challenges with his teammate Charles Leclerc
As 2022 season gets closer and Ferrari’s new car ready to be revealed on February 17th, Carlos Sainz reflects on the work done by the team and himself to be as much prepared as possible for this new F1 era.
The atmosphere that reigns in Ferrari at the moment, described by Sainz is “calm and happy”. He said: ”Everyone seems to be happy and smiling. We're not stressed at all, we just want to do well this year.”
He added: “The expectations are very high but we’re positive and ready. These new cars are much more different from those of the past years. The suspensions are harsher and we have to get used to it, but we’ll not have enough information about the car until the Bahrain test session.”
Since his first days in the Maranello’s team, Carlos Sainz had to face all the critics about him being defined “an outsider”: “If anyone defines me as an outsider I don’t get angry, they just don’t understand a lot about Formula 1. Mattia Binotto knew how hard I work when he called me, and I don’t think he would ever define me as an outsider”.
The relationship with his teammate Charles Leclerc seems to be very joyful and peaceful. The two young men get along very well, and most of all they work together to bring up Scuderia Ferrari again: “My friends are not in the F1 world, but I think when I’ll leave this sport, I will have a great bond with both Leclerc and Norris for sure.”
The Ferrari’s duo is considered the best on track and Sainz agrees with that: “Not to be biased, but our qualities are very good and we try our best to keep high Ferrari’s name and the Italian flag”.
2021 season ended with a first world championship for Max Verstappen and a bittersweet ending of season for Lewis Hamilton.
Carlos Sainz, also commented with his thoughts on the season finale: “Max [Verstappen] is always very fast and very brave in every situation. There’s nothing I don’t like about him.”
“I didn’t like the season ending anyway. If I was Lewis Hamilton, I would be very upset. To lose the title on the last lap like that. I really respect him. We talked a bit on the podium that night.”
“Race direction was very confused last year; every football match is a controversy. I hope F1 does not become like that. The situation is actually disastrous but I think it’ll get better this year.”
