Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz confirmed that securing third place in the 2021 Formula One Constructors’ standings for the Maranello team is more important than the individual tussle he is involved in ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
After a disappointing qualifying session one week ago in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz enjoyed a more serene Saturday afternoon in Abu Dhabi and will start tomorrow’s race at the Yas Marina circuit from fifth place, two places ahead of his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc. Despite the fact that Lando Norris starts two places in front, Scuderia Ferrari are 38.5 points ahead of McLaren in the fight for P3 and that looks almost impossible to turn around in this last race of the 2021 Formula 1 championship.
However, very much up for grabs is the honour of being the leading non-Mercedes or Red Bull driver this season, as Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are involved in a direct battle with Lando Norris, covered by a range of only 8.5 points.
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Carlos Sainz, however, explains that is not his main in Abu Dhabi, even though it would represent an excellent achievement if he could finish ahead of his esteemed team-mate in the standings in his first season with the Maranello team:
“I look at it but then I think to finish P5, something has to happen to Charles and Lando, and I don’t want anything weird happening to Charles tomorrow because we want this P3 in the Constructors’,” the 27-year-old told Sky Italia.
“For me, it does not change a lot finishing P5, P6, P7 [individually]. Already being in the fight with Lando and Charles when they are in their third year with the car, for me it’s already a good year. If I finish this year with a good race at the end, I head to the winter with a lot of confidence and happy, so that does not change my life.” – he added.
Of his much more positive qualifying session than last weekend, Carlos Sainz told Formula 1.com: “I needed it after a difficult one in Jeddah, where I was very quick but not clever enough to know how to use my speed. Here, I wanted to take it little by little through the weekend and I definitely peaked at the right time in qualy. Not an easy qualy because there were a lot of games going on with strategy, with out-laps etc, but we managed it very well and put together a nice lap at the end. Lando must have done a pretty good one because mine was nice, so congrats to him and tomorrow we’ll give him a run.” – the Ferrari driver concluded.
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