Carlos Sainz wins the 2024 Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix, and at this point, Ferrari is once again fighting for something significant. After years of seasons with lackluster endings, the Maranello team is competing for the Constructors’ Championship for the first time in the turbo-hybrid era, with only four races remaining in the season. A scenario that was hard to predict a few months ago, even for the incurable optimists. The engineers of the Prancing Horse managed to get the SF-24 back on track in terms of development after losing confidence due to the aerodynamic updates introduced at the Circuit de Catalunya in the Spanish Grand Prix.
A floor design that completely derailed the technical plan for the championship, throwing away at least three months of the current Formula 1 season. Since the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, the Ferrari SF-24 cars have almost always fought for victory with both drivers, on circuits with completely different characteristics. This second consecutive victory in a hectic triple-header allowed them to surpass the “derelict” Red Bull, which has been in free fall since May, and it simultaneously gave Ferrari the chance to seriously aim at the standings dedicated to the F1 constructors.
Although Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have no chance of competing for the drivers’ championship crown, as they are too many points behind the Dutchman Max Verstappen, they are delivering truly exceptional performances. Above even the rosiest expectations. Carlos Sainz was craving one last highlight behind the wheel of the SF-24, and thanks to an impeccable Mexican weekend from the first session onward, he managed for the first time in his career to win more than one Grand Prix in the same season. With appetite growing as one eats, the Spaniard could win other races before bidding farewell to the historic Maranello team, fueling his desire to enter Ferrari’s history.
The Spanish driver is aware that, barring extraordinary surprises, the near future will not offer him the chance to fight for victory. On the other hand, the current value of Williams is not much at the moment, and it is unlikely to improve to such an extent that it would allow a return to the top. This is an extra motivation for Carlos Sainz to enrich his record and to enter Ferrari’s history. Yes, because winning the Constructors’ title with the Italian side would allow the Spaniard to leave an important mark on his work.
It would not be a personal title to show off but a significant legacy after four years of hard work in the red team’s court. A sort of tangible proof that the Maranello lineup could be considered the best on the grid, capable of maximizing weekend race results despite the the many ups and downs that have been encountered during the season. Frankly, the Spanish driver felt the blow. Being suddenly relieved of his duties was a totally unexpected scenario. And precisely because of this, it hurts even more. And it couldn’t be different.
When the dream of Ferrari president John Elkann, and that of millions of fans, to bring Lewis Hamilton to Italy came true, there was no longer room for the Spaniard. But Carlos Sainz showed what resilience truly means. He absorbed the blow, rolled up his sleeves, and never disparaged the Maranello team that had fed him, even though he was essentially shown the door when a renewal seemed the most likely scenario. Indeed, the son of the two-time World Rally champion has grown in every respect compared to the young man who joined Ferrari in 2021.
He has learned to win, to be faster in qualifying, with one of the best in the field for single-lap performance on the other side of the garage. Despite the natural rivalry with Charles Leclerc, their collaboration has been a valuable asset for the Prancing Horse. Although the anticipation of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in red is feverish, there is a subliminal sense that, in the end, Carlos Sainz might genuinely have been capable of meeting the Italian team’s ambitions in the coming years. This is a sentiment shared by a significant portion of the fan base.
Truth be told, a sensational return of Carlos Sainz cannot be ruled out.
At the end of the year, Ferrari and Carlos Sainz will therefore part ways almost reluctantly, as both parties were pleased with the professional collaboration. On more than one occasion, there has been talk of a possible return to Maranello when Lewis Hamilton decides to hang up his helmet, a scenario far from unlikely. The last World Champion for the red team, Kimi Raikkonen, who won the drivers’ title in the 2007 Formula 1 season, returned to the Italian car for starting with the 2014 championship, leading to a second sporting life that lasted another five seasons.
Moreover, both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are demonstrating that, with the necessary physical preparation and adequate training, it is possible to be highly competitive even past the age of 40 in today’s Formula 1. This year Carlos Sainz turned 30, and, age-wise, he can still race at high levels for many more seasons. In the meantime, he can only look to close his current adventure at Ferrari in the best way possible, aiming to support the Constructors’ Championship fight, a scenario that would bind Carlos Sainz to Ferrari by an even stronger common thread than is already the case.
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