Carlos Sainz: “We have to improve in everything: fewer mistakes and better work”

Carlos Sainz is aware that the 2022 season has not been easy at all, neither for him nor for Ferrari. The word “mistakes” is repeated in much of the talk that he had with us during a lightning trip to Madrid, taking advantage of the three-week break until the Singapore Grand Prix, which will be the starting signal for the resolution of the campaign.

Sponsored by his personal sponsor who has been with him since before he came to F1, Estrella Galicia, he answers questions from the Colpisa agency biting his tongue slightly so as not to blame his team, but without stopping saying what he thinks: to To be the team that beats Red Bull, they must take a step forward and improve markedly in many aspects. Without those problems, especially early in the season (but not only there), he would not arrive at this point in the year in a discreet fifth position in the championship but much higher. Aware of this, he only has one clear goal: to win at least one of the remaining six dates.

-How do you feel for this season finale?

to the top There are six sprint races because we are also going to travel a lot. First Singapore, Japan, then America, Brazil, Abu Dhabi… They are races that I like and are fun, so I look forward to it.

-It has not been an easy season at Ferrari, with many mistakes. Has he bit his tongue a lot or does he take it naturally? How have you experienced it?

There are problems in all teams. Different challenges, mistakes that you end up paying for during a year of F1. I’ve been living here for eight years, and every team has had these kinds of mistakes. Even pilots like me make mistakes, all of us. What you have to do is learn from them, try to improve, make the team stronger, stay together as a team and improve for next season.

-How is your relationship with Charles Leclerc?

It’s good. I get along with Charles. We are two people with a lot in common, we have fun outside the circuits and in them we respect each other and compete hard. I get along very well with him, really.

-He arrives in Singapore 16 points behind Russell and Mercedes pushing very hard. Is the goal from here to the end to beat him?

Yes… but I would give more priority to winning one or more races than to the position in the World Championship, because I know how many points I have lost due to reliability or mistakes that were made at the beginning of the season when I was taken off the track a couple of times … In these last six races I am going to give more priority to going race by race to win them than going for the World Cup, since I know that points have been lost due to external causes.

-With seven podiums, one of them with victory, in this season, do you feel satisfied?

It is a difficult question to answer. I think I’ve made good progress throughout the season. That first victory is something that makes me feel very proud, it is something that makes you very excited as a driver to get your first victory, but I think the season has been a bit complicated, especially because at the beginning we had a bit of bad luck, with many zeros, so I dropped in the championship. Then it is true that I have been improving a lot, but things have continued to happen. There have been many podiums, there has been a victory, so I can’t complain at all.

-What balance do you make of the new technical regulations that have been implemented this year?

I think it has helped in many aspects, especially in the show, which is what was sought. There’s more overtaking, we can go closer, and it’s been a really fun year for Formula 1, especially Silverstone (the one he won) in particular. If we can continue to lighten the cars and make them faster, we will make Formula 1 even better.

-Your father will already be preparing the Dakar 2023…

I see him with the same enthusiasm and desire as 15 years ago. At 60 years old, he is going to have the opportunity to win the Dakar again and I see him prepared and motivated to do it again, which would be something incredible and inspiring.

-After seeing how Red Bull has ended up dominating, in general terms, what does Ferrari need to improve to catch up with them?

Throughout. What we have to consider is a year with fewer errors, better reliability and better work in general. If you want to beat a team like Red Bull you have to be perfect and they have shown us this year that if someone wants to beat them in 2023 we will have to do it this way.

-Thinking about that 2023, what is the bar that is set?

I face all races and all seasons with the aim of winning, which is what I want as a driver and what I have to consider if I want to be the best and number 1 one day, which is what I would be most excited about, what I work for every day and what I think about every time I go to sleep.