Carlos Sainz infused a breath of fresh air when he joined the Ferrari stable in 2021. An able, consistent driver capable of achieving podiums, he was the right man Ferrari needed after a disastrous 2020 season.<\/p>\n
Carlos Sainz is normally a driver who likes to know his future before a new season commences. It was no surprise to see him delighted even before the shortened 2020 F1 season commenced.<\/p>\n
Ferrari had announced a major change to their driver line-up for the 2021 F1 season. Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel would depart the team in red at the end of 2020.<\/p>\n
His departure triggered widespread speculation as to who would take the second Ferrari seat. Ultimately, the Scuderia settled on Sainz, who had proven himself as a solid midfield contender for McLaren.<\/p>\n
Sainz joined Leclerc at the\u00a0Rosso Corsa\u00a0<\/em>for the next four seasons, spearheading the team’s charge for championships. Although he regretted not being able to continue at Ferrari just as they were starting to fight for titles<\/a>, there’s no doubt he would be proud of his time as a Ferrari driver.<\/p>\n Four special wins, each cheered on by the passionate Tifosi, were the peaks of Sainz’s four years in red. Sainz also proved a consistent force, finishing on the podium 25 times as a Ferrari driver.<\/p>\n This puts him ninth in the list of Ferrari’s most frequent podium sitters. A stunning accolade, considering the rich history of drivers to have raced for the team in 75 seasons of F1.<\/p>\n On the other hand, Sainz himself grew as a driver at Ferrari. He became a consistent force alongside Leclerc for four years. The Spaniard’s efforts helped the Scuderia finish in the top three of the standings, in each of his four seasons as a Ferrari driver.<\/p>\n Sainz joined Ferrari at a very important juncture in the team’s history. Ferrari, on one hand, were reeling from the engine controversy in 2019, and their most difficult campaign in the turbo-hybrid era in 2020. The team were desperately looking to turn their fortunes around.<\/p>\n Not only did Sainz form a great bond with Leclerc off the track, but he proved a consistent force on it too. The Spaniard finished in the points in 19 of the 21 races, the most for any driver in 2021. His lowest finish across the year was 11th, better than any driver on the grid.<\/p>\n Sainz also appeared on the podium four times in 2021, finishing second in Monaco, and third in Hungary, Russia, and Abu Dhabi. His tally of 164.5 points brought him to fifth in the standings, behind the front-running Red Bull and Mercedes duo.<\/p>\n Ferrari also catapulted up the order to finish third in the standings, winning in their battle with McLaren. The redemption gave Ferrari plenty to cheer, with new regulations coming the following year.<\/p>\n Sainz also made several smart strategy calls. Most notably, his pitting for Intermediate tyres early in Russia fetched him a fourth podium of the year.<\/p>\n Starting on the Hard tyres at the pair of Austrian races also allowed Sainz to run long, fetching him two top-six finishes. Starting on the soft tyres also helped him get past the Red Bulls in the Brazilian sprint, before Sainz’s defensive drive netted Ferrari’s first point in the sprint.<\/p>\n All in all, 2021 proved to be the ideal foundation year for Sainz to integrate into Ferrari. It gave the team and driver confidence going into the new ground effect era of F1 in 2022.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/strong>: Ferrari\u2019s 2024 Season Review: \u2018A Big Step Up, With Room for Growth\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt may sound a bit strange to say it now, but as a Ferrari driver it was my most difficult weekend. I did not have the pace, neither in the race or in Friday practice,\u201d Sainz mentioned<\/a> after finishing second in the season opener in Bahrain<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was a strange admission, given Sainz followed teammate Leclerc home in their first win in 46 races.<\/p>\n As dejected as Sainz was with his season-opening result, it was the start of a long, transitional season. Sainz had raced cars that were capable of contending for podiums during his career. Although, 2022 was his first year in a competitive, race-winning car.<\/p>\n Two consecutive DNFs at Australia and Imola scuppered his campaign. Racing at the top also induced errors, like Sainz’s off at turn 4 at his home event in Barcelona.<\/p>\n The Spaniard also came close to victory twice. He finished within a second of Perez in Monaco, after a smart strategy call helped him jump up the order. Sainz also fell short in Canada, hunting down Max Verstappen in the final laps on fresher tyres.<\/p>\n Sainz wouldn’t have to wait long, though. On an overcast day in Silverstone, Sainz fought tooth and nail from pole. A late safety car opened up opportunities for the rest to battle. Yet, his strategy to bolt away from a battling pack behind guaranteed him a maiden F1 win.<\/p>\n This was the high point in a season of learning. On several occasions, Sainz delivered big results, unable to go the final distance.<\/p>\n One of these instances was in Brazil. Sainz couldn’t clear Perez quickly enough on his new tyres and finished third, unable to challenge the Mercedes duo ahead.<\/p>\n Sainz matched his fifth from 2021, marking his best F1 season to date. Yet, there were several transitionary instances of competing in a race-winning machine.<\/p>\n 13 races into his third Ferrari season, Sainz hadn’t scored a podium finish. While he’d come close, and even taken a sprint podium, he was yet to finish on a Grand Prix podium.<\/p>\n However, the spirit of the Tifosi fired up the Spaniard, inducing new motivation. Having secured his first pole of 2023, Sainz battled tooth and nail to grab his first podium of the year at Monza<\/a>. While he scrapped hard with Leclerc, both drivers kept it clean, another important trait for drivers racing in the top teams.<\/p>\n Sainz picked up a special victory at the Singapore GP<\/a>. Capitalising on the dominant Red Bull’s struggles<\/a>, the Ferrari man executed a perfect lap to claim pole.<\/p>\n While he led off the line, Sainz knew his main challengers would be the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, McLaren man Lando Norris, and teammate Leclerc.<\/p>\n As the race went on, Sainz’s biggest threats were Russell and Hamilton, closing in on new tyres. With the quartet close in the final stages, the Ferrari man employed a tactic, keeping second-placed Norris within his DRS.<\/p>\n This stemmed the two charging Mercedes, with Norris acting as a buffer in between. Sainz held his lead on older tyres, guaranteeing him a special victory. It was a special moment, the only time Red Bull failed to win a race all year.<\/p>\n This would also be Sainz’s final podium appearance of the year. He would be promoted to third at COTA after post-race disqualifications for those ahead. A ten-place grid drop at Las Vegas for a chassis change ruined his shot at a podium, stripping him of a front-row spot for the race.<\/p>\n A poor finish in Abu Dhabi meant Sainz dropped down to seventh in the standings, with one major headlining victory in the season.<\/p>\n YOU MAY ALSO LIKE<\/strong>: Antonio Felix Da Costa\u2019s Eleven Years in Formula E: The Championship Win and the Experience with Porsche<\/a><\/p>\n Even before he commenced his 2024 season, Sainz knew he was set to depart the Scuderia. The big announcement saw Hamilton announced as a Ferrari driver<\/a> from 2025, alongside Leclerc.<\/p>\n The Spanish racer became a free agent in the paddock, and if anything were to describe his racing, it was a message to the teams to sign a contract with him.<\/p>\n Sainz made a bold statement by overtaking Leclerc for third at Bahrain, in a close battle. It was a template of what we could expect at several moments in the year.<\/p>\n Despite being laid low by appendicitis and missing the Jeddah weekend, Sainz bounced back to win only 16 days later in Albert Park, headlining his resilience.<\/p>\n In what turned out to be his most successful campaign, Sainz scored nine podiums. He took two victories, including a dominant pole to a winning drive at Mexico City.<\/p>\n His scores kept Ferrari in the hunt for their first title in over 15 years. With McLaren and Ferrari separated by 21 points heading into the final round, Sainz put his Ferrari third on the grid. He lined up directly behind both the papaya cars.<\/p>\n With teammate Leclerc starting P19, Sainz knew he’d have to spearhead the scarlet team’s charge in the Abu Dhabi finale. Taking advantage of Piastri and Verstappen’s clash, the four-time race winner moved into second.<\/p>\n While Leclerc capped off an incredible recovery drive by finishing third, Sainz couldn’t reel Norris in. Despite a brilliant out lap, he fell just short of getting into Norris’s DRS range.<\/p>\n2021: The Foundations for a Successful Partnership<\/h4>\n
2022: Sainz’s First Season in a Front-Running Car in F1<\/h4>\n
2023: Adaptability, and Starring Victories<\/h4>\n
2024: Leaving Ferrari, and Aiding a Title Charge<\/h4>\n