Carlos Sainz had to clarify the comments he made regarding Rubens Barrichello after it was mis-constructed by F1 media in translation.
Its not been too bad a season for Sainz so far in 2021, having joined Ferrari this year. As a team, they are in a battle with McLaren for third in the constructors’, so the results of the Spaniard and his teammate Charles Leclerc are vitally important right now.
Talking more on that and driving for Ferrari, Sainz was interviewed only recently about whom he would he would like to emulate at the Italian manufacturer, while attending an event for his sponsor. But his comments seems to have been mis-constructed.
After some stories in the Spanish editions, one particular quote on Barrichello was picked up by Italy’s Gazzetta, which roughly translated into something where Sainz seems to haven a dig at the Brazilian. It noted that the Spaniard didn’t wish to be like him, as he wants to win the world championship in his time.
Now with that reply, readers could possibly think that Sainz was being critical of Barrichello’s career and time at Ferrari. He wasn’t being so and Barrichello’s time was successful of course. The Brazillian was there at a tremendously successful time for the Italian marque, but was of course there alongside a driver who had a myriad of success at the team and was number one driver too.
“Like always with this kind of thing, and this kind of a criticism for you the media, I was asked ‘if you could choose between being Barrichello and being Schumacher’ and I said if you let me choose I prefer to win seven world championships,” clarified Sainz to written media. “Which makes a lot of sense. But then you go into the headline and see what it is and it makes me feel disappointed.
“I know you are not like that but it shows that once a news feed gets news from another and another and another, they end up putting this headline and all the Brazilians end up criticising me over what Rubens did,” summed up Sainz.
In a nutshell, Sainz so was not being critical but it was the way he answered and the way it was worded. Perhaps if he had worded his reply a little better and been more clear and concise, it would not have rubbed people up the wrong way. As it stands, Carlos is still chasing that elusive debut victory.
For the Russian Grand Prix, teammate Leclerc is taking a power unit penalty and starting from the back. Therefore, the contribution of the Spaniard is vitally important this weekend, where he is to start from the front-row. He continues on to praise the Brazilian.
“First of all, he won how many races? Eleven. And I won zero. So, I’m no one to criticise Rubens,” said Sainz. “I’m actually very good friends with him, I have a lot of respect, so you can imagine how disappointed I was when I started reading that in Brazil there were headlines saying I said that. You know how I am. I never speak bad about fellow drivers, even less Ferrari drivers who have won races for Ferrari and championships for Ferrari.”
The story was written by Neil Farrell
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