Sainz: “I will do everything to continue at Ferrari”

With every driver’s busy schedule, and more than a Ferrari, Carlos Sainz (September 1, 1994, Madrid) wants to reserve a slot to chat slowly with Mundo Deportivo in Hungary, even if he has a headache to fulfill everything he has planned for the day and a race under the sun so as not to miss the official FIA press conference. He arrived at the lively Ferrari hospitality, ordered a cortado with cold milk and refused nothing. He spoke loud and clear. After the rumors about his future, who still has a contract with those in red until the end of 2024, the Spaniard is forceful: he wants to continue at Ferrari, this is his priority, he will give everything on his part to continue and he feels he is in the best moment of his career. to be on a team where everything is lived more intensely. All this, a few days after losing his grandfather Antonio Sainz, who died at the age of 97, with whom he was closely connected. His first words in this statement are in his memory.

Enjoy this race streaming on DAZN Activate your account!

We send you our condolences from all of Mundo Deportivo on the death of your grandfather. How are you?

Thanks a lot. i’m fine I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of him until he was 97, when he actually died the day after his 97th birthday. I am very proud of my grandfather. On the other hand, I am calm because I know that I took advantage of all the time I had with him and this is the message that I want to send on social networks to the youngest children, that they take advantage of the time with their grandparents and spend time with their older relatives because it is a law of life that one day they will be gone and then you can always regret not being with them.

Enjoy this race streaming on DAZN Activate your account!

Is there something that inspired you from your grandfather to face your daily life as a pilot?

Not as a driver, but as a person, he definitely inspired me. He is someone who has not had it easy since he was little. He was left without a father at the age of 14, he had to support his whole family alone and he was a successful man, above all, and he did what he wanted, regardless of what others might think. something else, something I think about. that in today’s world with social networks you are always worried about what they will say and what they will think of me. He was always someone who followed his path and did what he wanted, with great values, but always doing what he believed was right and moving forward.

Do you think you can offer him a victory this season?

Yes, if I win this year I will dedicate it to him, for sure. And if not, I will dedicate the podium to him, which will be a good result.

How do you spend the weekend in Hungary?

We have made a step forward, but behind Verstappen there is a very even battle. A lot depends on the tracks and you have to be aware that there will be better and worse weekends. Here we hope to find good conditions.

How do you rate your start of the year?

You always have to put it in perspective. As for the results, it was not special, with many fourth, fifth and sixth places. I think we all expected a little more, myself included. But if I look at the details of how much use I got out of the car, I don’t think I’m having a bad year. I think I’m driving well, that I’m doing good qualifying, good races, once again, from less to more. The results don’t quite show it, but it’s been a pretty weird year in that regard.

Max Verstappen, who won everything in Red Bull, will not win in the current Ferrari either.

Well, if Charles (Leclerc) and I ran at Red Bull and didn’t let him win like he wouldn’t let us, that was it. But I don’t like to compare because it’s something you’ll never know. But it is well known that nowadays in F1 the car is very important.

The Maranello factory worked around the clock to deliver several evolution packs quickly, weeks ahead of schedule. What was it like to see that work from the inside?

This is something amazing. To see a factory the size of Ferrari, capable of reacting, working day and night to get parts, making things, is one of the most beautiful and special things to see in F1. Especially when you spend days in the factory. I’m very involved, I see it and I have the opportunity to go and greet all the workers often and thank them, because they end up making the difference.

How much time can you spend in the factory?

On average, I spend one or two days a week at the factory. About 6 hours each of those days, give or take. In the weeks that I don’t race, obviously. When you have a career, you kind of lower the intensity in that aspect. Or the week before the race I spend a day or a day and a half. I went to the simulator half a day or three quarters of that day. Another half day I spend in meetings with engineers and then, another half day I take advantage of it to say hello to some departments, say hello to people you might not have a chance to see if you don’t go to the factory.

How do you feel about Ferrari?

Honestly, I feel that I am at the perfect moment in my career to become a Ferrari driver, because I want to. It’s an intense place to be, because you have a lot of things to take care of, you have a lot of responsibilities, you’re racing for the Ferrari team, which I think says it all, and you have to really want to this. You have to be 100% committed to F1 and the team and I was at that moment between maturity and youth to take advantage of that moment of being at Ferrari.

Each driver is a person… Are the criticisms and rumors tiring, which for Ferrari drivers must always live more intensely?

They may be boring, but not me. If you’re not 100% like me, or you’re at the beginning or end of your career, they can burn out. I will not deny you. But I’m 100% and so happy to be in the Ferrari that the noise doesn’t consume me or affect me because I don’t let it.

If he is very happy at Ferrari and feels a lot of love, it is obligatory to ask him if he wants to continue at Ferrari after his current contract, which is until the end of 2024.

My priority, of course, is to continue with Ferrari. I see no better place in F1 today than a team like Ferrari, with the ambition to win again. I want to win another race as soon as possible and, if possible, fight for a World Cup. And since we both share a goal, if that team is Ferrari, well, I don’t see why not continue. But I’ve said it many times: I always like to go into the last season of my contract knowing where I’m going to be next year and that’s going to be my intention this year as well.

Bring them a contract and we will sign it now…

(laughs) It also depends on the contract (more laughter, jokingly).

What does it depend on?

Agreed. Like always in life. They both have to agree to shake hands and sign a contract, and if they both can’t agree, they talk. You already know that I will always do my part, everything possible to continue with a team like Ferrari.

Are you calm and confident that an agreement will be reached?

I’m restless. Yes, I set a date, the winter of this year, to try to find out what will happen to me, but I will think more about it at the end of the season, what it will cost me and not to be here and what I can continue to offer Ferrari … I am only focused on the season. Now, in addition, in the middle of the season… it’s the same in the summer, I think a little bit because you have three weeks off and you think about things. But now, between races, you don’t have time to stop or think about it.

Last year he said that the Ferrari car had to be driven very aggressively and it was difficult for him to adapt. How was this year? He is very adaptable and performs at a great level.

Honestly, the car drives almost the same as it did last year. The driving style is exactly the same. I just tried to adapt to it and manage it better, and above all I tried to learn the setup and see what things in this car can help me be faster. But above all, the biggest effort is driving and getting to know the car. It is true that this year’s car, in relation to others, is not as competitive, but to finish, it is a car that is very similar to last year or almost the same.

Is the goal of becoming champion at Ferrari still intact?

The goal of being a champion at Ferrari is still intact, yes. And I hope for a long time.