Carlos Sainz: “My goal has not changed, still be world champion”

Carlos Sainz He assured on Thursday that becoming the best Formula One driver in the world is his goal and he is working hard to achieve it, hoping that 2023 is a good season for him and his team, Ferrari.

“My goal doesn’t change, still become world champion as soon as possible. This year Red Bull beat us, Max (Versttapen) beat us, but the goal remains and will continue as long as it continues in Formula One,” Sainz told Efe in an interview.

Referring to the last two stops of the season, where he left, the man from Madrid admitted that he cannot imagine those results, after George Russell’s Mercedes hit him in Austin.

“You can’t dwell on the previous result, even less when it’s not your fault, but another mistake by the driver. I can’t do anything against it, just focus on the Mexican Grand Prix.”

This year the Ferrari driver raced in the British Grand Prix, finishing second in Bahrain, Monaco and Canada and third in Saudi Arabia, Miami, Belgium and Singapore, but he was not satisfied with the results.

“For the team, it’s a pretty positive period. because we were able to be competitive again, which is Ferrari’s goal, to get back into the fight to win races. For me it has not been a good year for some things or for others, but it has given me confidence for the next year,” he said.

According to the driver, there is bad luck and this 2022 things have not lined up for him, but he has received lessons that he can take advantage of for next season where, with a good car, he can. to aim for the top.

“Luck comes and goes. The important thing is that this is over and next year we can fight for more important things. If there is a good car, we can compete,” he said.

Hours before competing at the Autodromo da Mexico City, Sainz appeared relaxed with his teammate, Monegasque Charles Leclerc, second in the drivers’ standings, with whom he had an accomplice off the track.

“The relationship with Leclerc is easy. We are two kids with similar lifestyles, we have similar passions, we get along. We are very competitive, there are conflicts between us of all kinds, but they are healthy conflicts. We laugh a lot and something funny always happens between us,” he explained.

Saínz is fifth in the drivers’ standings with 202 points, 16 behind Russell, fourth in the standings, and four points ahead of former world champion Lewis Hamilton.

“This Sunday we will try to win for Ferrari, which is what we try to do in every race”he insisted.

Regarding the season, the man from Madrid considered it normal for Red Bull to be the best team of the year because it was long over and Ferrari came back after two difficult years.

“We couldn’t come and beat the most complete team in recent years in Formula One. But we learned a lot for next year,” he explained.

According to the Madrid native, Formula One is heading in the right direction as the new rules allow cars to follow each other more.

“Races are more fun. It is true that Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari still have an advantage over the othersbut they will come close to the budget limit,” he said.

Formula One has only three Hispanic drivers, Saínz, his compatriot Fernando Alonso, a former world champion, from Alpine, and Mexican Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez, from Red Bull. Despite the rivalry in the end, he admits that a friendship unites them.

“It’s not easy to consider yourself a friend of a rival driver, but I have a special love for him. He is a good man, a man I respect greatly; a good driver with Red Bull and taking advantage of it,” he said.

Sainz admits that he has never had any problems with Mexico City’s height above sea level, 2,240 meters, and that he greatly appreciates the support of the Mexican people.

“If somewhere you feel welcomed, protected, respected, it’s easy to feel at home and Mexico City always made me feel that way, people protected me and I thank them,” he said.