Carlos Sainz thanks Ferrari: “Driving in red is special, but I still have one regret”. Carlos Sainz’s career at Ferrari will come to an end after four years.

With the Abu Dhabi GP, Carlos Sainz’s career at Ferrari will come to an end after four years, and awaiting the Spaniard is a significant challenge: fighting for the Constructors’ Championship against McLaren with the team that let him go. By the driver’s own admission, what makes the separation less bitter is the fact that he is being replaced by none other than a seven-time world champion. However, in the days following the news, the Madrid native was not in the best mood. Throughout the year, though, he did not disappoint the team’s trust, delivering two wins and eight podiums for Maranello, along with a decent points tally that keeps the Scuderia in the running for a championship, something that hasn’t happened in 14 years. And while there are various reasons the driver could feel upset, whatever the season’s outcome, he will leave with positive memories.

“If you had told me in 2021 about the four wins, the podiums, and everything else, I would have signed for it immediately. It’s hard to pick the best victory. Silverstone because it was the first, Singapore goes without saying. The one in Australia was very emotional, recovering after the appendicitis. Then there’s Mexico. I knew that weekend could be my last chance to win, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to do it; my family and friends were all there, which made it even more special,” the driver explained on *Beyond The Grid*. For him, however, there remains one sporting regret: “My real goal is to become a champion, so I’m not completely satisfied because I would have liked to fight for a World Championship consistently. Even now, we’re still competing for the Constructors’.”

On a personal level, Carlos Sainz leaves Ferrari filled with memories: “I’ve been a Ferrari driver for four years, and I’ve loved every moment with the Tifosi, in Maranello, in Fiorano, wearing red. The team has always appreciated me. The Ferrari experience is always different; I couldn’t explain it in words. Sometimes it’s tough; there are aspects more complicated than being at other teams. But every GP feels like home—there are always fans everywhere, and they’re always the majority. Maybe not at Zandvoort.”