“When I was there, they suddenly don’t want me in front anymore” Carlos Sainz hits out at the media for ‘frustrating’ number 1 driver debate criticism
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Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz’s season has had many ups and downs – The win at Silverstone being the high of his season. But then there’s also been notable lows – such as the mistake in Australia, or the recent ‘aquaplaning’ moment in Japan. While he earned massive praise for beating Charles Leclerc last year, this year, he has squarely been second best to him, something he accepts.
Before the Singapore Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz sat down to analyze his season with the Spanish newspaper AS. The Spaniard responded negatively when asked if he was pleased with how his season has gone: “In general, no. I can’t be happy, it’s been a season with too many ups and downs. There are things I’m happy with, like the progression I was able to turn around a fairly complicated start and not get stuck,”
Indeed, the car seemed to suit Leclerc much better at the start of the season, and even now that may be the case. But even the road to recovery has not been easy, with an incident always awaiting: “Every two or three races something has happened that has not allowed me to generate a good run. I hope that in these six races that moment will come.” but unfortunately, he had another in Japan.
Also Read: Watch: Carlos Sainz drives the iconic Ferrari412P around the Fiorano Circuit
Carlos Sainz: “When I got into the fight, it seemed like some people didn’t want me there”
As Charles Leclerc seemed to be superior, there were discussions that team orders be put in place, something Ferrari clearly seemed to hesitate with, wanting to treat both drivers equally. But the media discussions went on and on, something that frustrated Carlos Sainz.
To him, it seemed ‘some people’ did not want him to do better at all: “I can understand that after the first few races, Charles (Leclerc) was clearly one step ahead in both qualifying and race pace. But in the middle of the season I improved a lot. Yeah, I started getting into the fight more and it was kind of frustrating in a way, because when I got into the fight it seemed like some people didn’t want me there.”
As such, Sainz does not pay much attention to what is said: “I was criticized for not being there, and when I started being there, some wondered what I was doing up front, letting Charles win everything. It was frustrating, especially from the press. They criticize me, but just when I was there, fighting, they don’t want me in front anymore. You saw that I do not pay much attention to what is said out there.”
Carlos Sainz concluded by reiterating his goal: He wants to be a world champion. His hope is that Ferrari have a good car again in 2023, and he can fight right from the start. He knows that once he is in the fight, he will stay in it.
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