Carlos Sainz praises Charles Leclerc after Monza race: “99% of the win is his, he did an incredible job”. Carlos Sainz: a magnificent defense by a true team player at Monza.

A magnificent defense by a true team player. Carlos Sainz played a significant role in Charles Leclerc and Ferrari’s victory at the Monza circuit in the Italian Grand Prix, enhancing a great team strategy with a defense that ultimately helped his Maranello teammate secure the win in front of the Ferrari fans.

Both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc opted for a single stop. It was a risky move, especially considering the heavy graining that teams had already observed during the free practice sessions on Friday and Saturday. Nevertheless, to win, the Ferrari pit wall took the gamble, and it paid off.

“Today we did everything possible to win,” Carlos Sainz immediately told Sky Sport. “I’m happy that the team took the risk. We took a big one, but we won, and it was very difficult to predict. There was a lot of graining with all the compounds, but we made it work.” – the Spanish driver pointed out.

Carlos Sainz doesn’t feel he played a role in Charles Leclerc’s victory, but his defense against Oscar Piastri made a difference. The McLaren driver got close to Charles Leclerc but couldn’t take advantage of the slipstream, which is very powerful and influential in battles between cars at Monza.

“I believe the victory is 99% Charles’s; he did an incredible job winning a very tough race. As for me, when I saw everyone pitting so early for the first stop, like the McLarens did, I was the only one who stayed out on the Mediums.” – the future Williams driver explained.

Regarding his strategy, Carlos Sainz is happy he gave it a try, even though, at the end of the race, he regretted staying on track 5 laps longer than the McLarens and Leclerc. This decision cost him the seconds that could have secured him a podium finish, his last with Ferrari colors before moving to Williams in 2025.

“I thought it was the right strategy to be the only driver making a single stop. Then it became clear that I lost too much time in those 5 extra laps because the tires were already very worn. I lost the 7 or 8 seconds that cost me the podium. But I was happy with that strategy, and I’m glad I tried. The important thing is that the strategy worked for the team. It’s been a pleasure to experience Monza as a Ferrari driver over these 4 years. One of the most special weekends of my life, even in the future. Even though I’m not on the podium with Charles today, I’m still very happy for the team and Charles’s victory.” – Carlos Sainz concluded.