“I’m hustling out there,” Carlos Sainz admits he is not yet comfortable with the Ferrari F1-75


“I’m hustling out there,” Carlos Sainz admits he is not yet comfortable with the Ferrari F1-75

Carlos Sainz

The 2022 Emilia Romagna GP did not go according to plan for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as he suffered a quick exit in the first lap of the race. The McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo made a failed move and collided with the Spaniard in the first turn itself. Ricciardo managed to keep going and eventually finished last but for Sainz, the race was over. 

ADVERTISEMENT

This was Sainz’s second consecutive DNF in the season so far after he lost control of the Ferrari during the Australian GP and spun out of the race early. After the initial success in the first two races of the season, the Spaniard seemed to be struggling with the F175 unlike his teammate Charles Leclerc who claimed two victories in the four races so far.

Sainz admitted that he was “not comfortable yet” with the Ferrari and was learning race by race from his mistakes. He claimed in racing there were “no magic weapons” that can help make him comfortable with the car and he is forced to alter his driving style to make the best of the car.

Also Read: “It hurts more” : Carlos Sainz laments two consecutive DNF’s

ADVERTISEMENT

Carlos Sainz claims, “There are no magic weapons

Carlos Sainz with teammate Charles Leclerc(on his left)
Carlos Sainz with teammate Charles Leclerc(on his left)

Carlos Sainz started the season strongly with a P2 finish in Bahrain and a P3 finish in Saudi Arabia. But the DNFs in Australia and Imola have severely affected his morale. He even crashed during Q2 at the weekend in Imola and claimed that it was his error that resulted in the spin. The Spaniard admits he is not “100% happy” behind the wheel of the Ferrari F1-75.

Sainz said, “I’m glad I look from the outside comfortable. On the inside, it’s not comfortable yet. I’m still not as smooth as I’d like to be, and mistakes like [in qualifying] prove that maybe I’m still not 100% happy with the car and understanding it fully. But I’m hustling out there.”

He added, “I’m trying my best to get it up to my liking, to change my driving – and mistakes are going to come when you’re challenging yourself like that. There are no magic weapons. You have to do something from your side as a driver, and I’m having to do techniques and driving that I’m not used to doing in order to be fast with this car.”

Sainz signed a new two-year contract extension to remain with Ferrari till the end of the 2024 season. After the poor performances in recent races, he slipped from 2nd to 5th in the Driver’s standings. He will have to prove his team and will be focused ahead of the inaugural race in Maimi on May 6-8.

ADVERTISEMENT

Also Read: Carlos Sainz has no ‘hard feelings’ towards Daniel Ricciardo after kind…