Carlos Sainz reckons he has performed well in F1 2024 so far despite missing a race and future situation, as Frederic Vasseur has full praise for him.
Despite having missed a round in Jeddah due to appendix, Ferrari’s Sainz is in a good position in fifth in the drivers’ standings with 162 points – only five below McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. He is in the good mix of drivers who are doing well.
He has one win and five podiums in what will be his final year at Ferrari. With the decision looming, Sainz had a hectic first half where he not only had to decide his future but had to fight through the issues that Ferrari started to face after its recent update.
He eventually decided the Williams route which will ease his mind going into the second half but the Ferrari situation remains a thing to tackle especially due to the competition from Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren in recent times.
“I guess on a personal level, it’s been a season full of ups and downs, as I think anyone here can say, but some very good ups at the beginning with a competitive car that was allowing me to fight for a lot of podiums, a race win, and I truly enjoyed that,” said Sainz to media. “And I wish we can get ourselves back in that position as soon as possible.
“On the personal side, it hasn’t been easy having to deal with, first of all, having to miss a race, but mainly with all the discussions about my future going on in the background. I’ve said many times it’s not ideal for any athlete sitting here right now to perform at the highest level of their life without knowing where you’re going to be next year.
“I do believe there’s still potential inside me, whether… If I take this out of my head, but given the circumstances, I think I’ve been performing at a good level with everything that’s been going on. And I’m still enjoying myself every weekend and trying to be grateful and appreciative of the position that I’m in.
“I am just trying to nail every weekend and go into each race like it’s the last and in the meantime having to handle everything behind the scenes about my future,” summed up Sainz, who received praise from his Ferrari boss Vasseur.
The Frenchman has never shied away from applauding the work done by Sainz in the time they have been together. “Honestly he has done a mega great job, and that the last couple of weeks that for sure that he had a bit more questions from yourself and your side than before, somehow it’s a kind of distraction,” said Vasseur to media.
“If you have a look on the first part of the season, considering the fact also that he missed Jeddah, he is doing very well. He’s very professional, very consistent. And it was a part of my motivation at the beginning to do the announcement quite early, and to have him fully focused.
“And I knew that at one stage he will have to sign somewhere, and this could be a distraction, but it was much better to anticipate it. And honestly that the approach of Carlos is mega professional and he was without a question from day one this season, as it was last year. I can’t complain at all about Carlos.”
Here’s James Vowles on Carlos Sainz hire
Here’s Frederic Vasseur on updates difficulties, competition
Here’s Charles Leclerc on maximising results
Here’s Ferrari on Oliver Bearman not withdrawing from F2
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