At the end of the Canadian Grand Prix, things got really exciting again: Carlos Sainz nearly secured his first victory on his 149th start in Formula 1. The Spaniard returns to his old homeland of England with a breath of fresh air and a surge in confidence, finishing second in eleventh.
Ferrari vs Red Bull: Winning vs Competing for Wins
“We still have more than half the season ahead of us,” Sainz sees his chances at Silverstone. “We deliver everything both at the factory and here at the racetrack!” Not only is Ferrari competitive this year, it is competing in every race to win. But: being a part of winning and actually winning are two different things. As a reminder, Max Verstappen converted more pole positions from Charles Leclerc into a win than Monegasse.
Mercedes as Wingman for Ferrari?
At Silverstone that can be expected not only from Red Bull, but also from Mercedes. “In Barcelona, Mercedes was as fast in the race as we were. When they drive like this, they are there,” says Carlos Sainz. And may even play a role in the World Cup battle: “It would be interesting if they join us and maybe take some points from Red Bull and Max.” The track here is similar to Barcelona and Mercedes would have been much faster there.
The main competitor remains Red Bull, of course. “It’s a fine line between a win and a third or fourth place. We’ll try to get all the details right and if we succeed, we’ll be at the forefront,” Sainz said. TV interview. Expectations are higher for Silverstone than they are for Ferrari at any circuit. “We fight for pole and win every time.”
Sainz: Silverstone as a reference point for performance
Carlos Sainz confidently says for Silverstone, “Every track suits our car. There’s no reason to believe it should be any different here.” The track in England is a benchmark for the Spaniard. In Barcelona he was still battling F1-75. In Canada, the 27-year-old felt more at home and much more comfortable in the car. Back on permanent high-speed track after the Three Street Circuit? “Let’s wait and see how it goes at Silverstone.”
‘I can beat anyone!’ – sanzo
Could he even beat Charles Leclerc? “As soon as I feel comfortable in the car, I can beat not only him, but anyone!” Carlos Sainz says confidently. The Spaniard is often shadowed by his teammates. Along with Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc is considered by many to be one of the ‘super talents’ in Formula 1. “I know I’m close!” Sainz says.
In Canada you could make good money betting on Carlos Sainz as the race winner, Verstappen being the clear favourite. Nevertheless, things got really tight between two former Toro Rosso colleagues in the final round of the race. In the end, Verstappen won, although according to Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto Sainz was a bit faster. Especially when it comes to race pace, Sainz was on par with Verstappen in Canada.
“He was very, very close,” said the team owner, praising his hero. The only qualification was not right. “Carlos is gaining confidence in the car. He says he’s driving faster and faster.” Was Canada a turning point for the Ferrari driver, often described as ‘obvious number two’?
Ferrari’s number two as a World Cup underdog?
27-year-old Carlos Sainz hasn’t completely disengaged from the World Cup either. “I still believe that anything is possible as long as there is no mathematical chance”. Sainz is currently 73 points behind in 5th place in the drivers’ rankings. “Anything is possible in this game!” In the race itself, the Spaniard is not thinking about the world championship, he is only concerned with winning the race. Also important for the Spaniard: to find the continuous form of the previous year. “Then we’ll see where it takes me in the final stages of the season.”
It would not be the first time that a Ferrari driver has won the world championship in the last race of the season: Kimi Raikkonen sent his regards. At that point, one point was enough for Hamilton to lift Maranello to the World Cup trophy for the last time. Whether Raikkonen’s six wins will be enough for Sainz this season is another question.
