Carlos Sainz: “You have to make improvements to get back on the podium and fight for victories”

Carlos Sainz reviewed the start of the season in Formula 1 after the first three races and the keys to continue improving, in an interview published by one of its most loyal sponsors, Estrella Galicia 0,0.

How are you after competing in three Grands Prix this season? What is your balance?

“The truth is that it has not been an easy start to the season. Everyone at Ferrari expects more; after fighting for pole positions and winning last year, I think we go into the races with that intention. We have been surprised by how fast Red Bull is doing and what other teams like Aston Martin have improved. You have to work hard at the factory in Maranello, bring improvements to get back on the podium and fight for success.”

You are currently fifth in the provisional Championship standings. What goals do you have for this season?

“The objectives are clear: to return to the podium as soon as possible and win again. It is true that, with the advantage that Red Bull has now, we have to improve a lot if we want to be in the fight for victory, which does not mean that in a few races something might happen to the Red Bulls and Aston Martin and we can go in first, but for now we will need their help and we have to focus on what we have. Anyway, I will continue to go to all the races in thinking that, until it is mathematically possible, you have to try to win the races, maximize the points and improve, which is what we have reached in these first races. If there had not been a sanction from in Australia, now we will have another twelve important points, which in the end they don’t allow me to add, but it is what it is.

There is a grandstand prepared with Estrella Galicia 0.0 for the Spanish GP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. What message do you want to send to your fans?

“First of all, thank you for being there, for going, and secondly, thank you for your support at the beginning of the season. I don’t think I’ve seen so many fans hooked on Formula 1. I assure you that in Barcelona I will give everything to get back on the podium, for them and for giving them a good race”.

Estrella Galicia 0,0 is the Official MotoGP Beer from 2023 and one of the goals of its alliance with Dorna is to develop a plan to have a positive impact on motor sports. How necessary is it for championships to apply maintenance measures?

“I think this is a major part of the future of Formula 1 as well, not just MotoGP. In Formula 1 all the teams are trying to make the championship more sustainable. The goal for 2030 is to leave zero carbon footprint and we We try everything. We are a sport that travels a lot and uses a lot of energy to move the material to all the circuits and make the cars compete, but I think progress is made very quickly and with a little effort you can see how that footprint of carbon. I think we’re going to get it.”

Regarding the new format adopted by MotoGP, what do you think of the sprint races on Saturdays?

“For sure, they added spectacle and emotion to the weekend. I have a lot of respect for the drivers, because the chance of getting injured increases, since it is a very physical sport. When you see so many drivers injured, it gives you a bit of respect. because they are “to the death” in those sprint races. For the fans it’s a lot of fun and from home I enjoy it more, but then I put myself in the driver’s shoes, who in the end is risking many more laps. Hopefully that will pay off somehow because it’s harder for the driver, both mentally and physically, to have extra laps in the competition, which will hopefully pay off in the future”.

Speaking of MotoGP, have you met Marc Márquez during these days of recovery from his injury?

Marc (Márquez) and I follow each other, we encourage each other and we have a very good relationship. As many of you know, when I come to Madrid I try to see him, in fact, today I have lunch with him and we are going to catch up. I loved the documentary on Amazon. I watch it and I think a great job was done to show the most human side of Marc, what the drivers went through in our difficult moments and show the support that the fans are so important.

His positive messages always cheer you up and I think it’s often too easy to criticize from the outside without knowing what a driver is going through at the time. I’m sure that before seeing that documentary, there were people who criticized Marc and then, when they saw how bad he was, they thought that it could be very difficult for him too. He is human and we all have those feelings. I really liked that and I’m also convinced that the three weeks that Marc has now taken out to recover, as he always does, will make him stronger. At the weekend in Portugal, ‘the uncle’ took a pole position and a podium up his sleeve. Whenever he could, he’d give the bell and he’d get on with it.”