Carlos Sainz admits he’s battling conflicting feelings referring to his and Ferrari’s type earlier than he leaves the crew, after taking pole place on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton will change Sainz subsequent season after Ferrari signed the seven-time world champion in the beginning of the 12 months, with the Spaniard heading to Williams. With 5 races remaining, Sainz delivered two wonderful laps to qualify on pole place in Mexico and proceed Ferrari’s latest good run, however he admits the very fact he believes he can battle for such outcomes constantly till the top of the 12 months is a bittersweet feeling.
“Very candy, given how good the automotive is, how effectively I’m driving lately, [I am] very optimistic going into the final 5 races,” Sainz stated. “On the identical time bittersweet as a result of it offers me the sensation that Ferrari may be within the battle for the world championship subsequent 12 months and I gained’t be there to make use of it.
“I really feel like I’ve been fairly an enormous a part of this crew through the 4 years attempting to arrange the crew to battle for that championship subsequent 12 months. The truth that I’m driving effectively, being quick with the automotive, and I’m leaving in 5 races, leaves me a bit… I don’t know easy methods to say it, however not with an excellent feeling.
“However it’s what it’s. I’m going to try to win extra races, stand on the rostrum for so long as I can for these 5 races, get pleasure from that, after which we’ll take into consideration subsequent 12 months.”
Each of Sainz’s Q3 laps had been ok for pole place in Mexico as he beat Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, and he says getting the primary try proper allowed him extra margin on the second run.
“They had been two actually good laps, and the very fact the primary lap was so good and a lot away from the sphere allowed me to take even additional dangers,” he stated. “In Q3 [on the final run] I added a little bit of entrance wing as I had nothing to lose and to see if I added a little bit of entrance finish to the automotive I’ll go even faster. However that’s what occurs when the primary lap is so good.
“The primary lap of Q3, I didn’t take many dangers with the Flip 2 curb, attempting to steer clear of observe limits, whereas within the second lap I knew the primary may be sufficient for pole and I simply tried to maximise the observe limits and it gave me a tenth at no cost which I stored for the remainder of the lap.
“Two good laps, particularly whenever you see the fellows behind me, with Lando, Max and Charles [Leclerc], to be 0.2-0.3s clear, it have to be some fairly strong laps.”
Leclerc led residence Sainz in a dominant Ferrari one-two final weekend in Austin, and Sainz believes he has each likelihood of creating it back-to-back victories for the Scuderia, so long as he can retain the lead in the beginning.
“I’m comparatively assured as a result of I do know my race tempo must be good tomorrow,” he stated. “Most likely the largest issue would be the run down into Flip 1 and beginning pole with the slipstream. I believe you may nonetheless defend, you may nonetheless make it stick into Flip 1, beginning pole, and that will probably be my aim tomorrow.
“I simply want to verify I do a superb 0-100 [mph], which is an important factor whenever you begin on pole, simply be sure to do a superb leap. From there, clearly do the perfect I can to defend.
“I’ve two guys behind preventing for fairly vital issues tomorrow and the run right down to Flip 1 must be fascinating. I’ve clearly much less to lose in that sense and I’ll strive and ensure I hold P1.”
