Guests at the Festival dello Sport, Carlos Sainz and Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur addressed various topics, including the recent magnificent victory in Singapore, the relationship between the Spaniard and Charles Leclerc, and more. They also assessed the fluctuating 2023 season for the Scuderia, discussing future goals and the responsibility, as well as the honor, of representing the most successful team in Formula 1.
What does representing Ferrari mean for Vasseur and Sainz?
“Ferrari is an icon,” begins the manager from Draveil, called upon to represent the Prancing Horse at the Festival dello Sport. “This gives us the feeling of representing something great, providing extra motivation.”
Carlos Sainz shares the same sentiment, who won over the fans of the red team this year with his fantastic victory in Singapore: “Everywhere you go, you feel this sense of uniqueness. There are fans all around the world, and when we arrive at Imola or Monza, it’s even more beautiful. You find them at the circuit, under the hotel, everywhere.”
Regarding his first encounter with the Scuderia, the Spaniard added: “I was still a McLaren driver, so we had to keep everything secret. It feels like entering a city. The emotion when I arrived there for the first time, where I could wear red, get on the track with the fans and all the mechanics.”
“My father was there, excited, almost in tears, watching me dressed in red and driving a Ferrari. I had been there a couple of times, but when you enter as part of Ferrari, you feel much more responsibility than anywhere else.”
“The weight of the past, the legacy of this brand; these are pressures I experience positively because they are special. The fans are here every day, at home and at the entrance, and they are always there. Something that, in my many years in F1, I had never experienced, definitely special.”
Carlos Sainz recalls the moment of signing the contract
“I was sleeping, and my father woke me up, telling me that the Ferrari contract had arrived. I almost didn’t understand anything; I realized only after signing,” Carlos recounted with some astonishment.
“All the legends have been in Formula 1, except poor Ayrton, who didn’t have the opportunity. But Michael, Fernando, Villeneuve, everyone. Everyone wants to be in Ferrari at least for a day. Anyone who says no is lying.”
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The two years at McLaren turned out to be decisive in convincing the Prancing Horse to bet on the Spaniard for the post-Sebastian Vettel era. Carlos Sainz had to take on a significant legacy and join a team that already had a superstar, Charles Leclerc.
The promise made to Fred Vasseur and the victory in Singapore
After a rather disappointing first part of the season, the team has finally managed to break Red Bull’s dominance, and they did it with Carlos Sainz, who won a closely contested edition of the Singapore Grand Prix, fending off attacks from McLaren and Mercedes throughout the race.
“We gave Fred a gift, but he gave it back to us. The work he is doing has certainly helped me express myself at my best. We all push in the same direction. We have always believed we could win, and we never gave up. It’s this drive that makes me say Ferrari is the right place to win.”
The relationship with Charles Leclerc
“Charles and I see each other more when we are in Maranello, and there is time for a chat,” Carlos comments. “Then we often do events and interviews together, and we laugh a lot. There is certainly a good relationship. When we can, we also call Lando and other drivers to play golf.”
“Charles and I often find ourselves close. We haven’t fought for the title, but for a third place in Monza or a pole, yes, and it wouldn’t be much different for a championship. We had 3 years to train and get to know each other, and we know the respect between us. I trust them a lot,” Fred Vasseur responds. “I see them as honest and committed to the team. The important thing is to build the future together. Drivers are part of the performance. We have two excellent, great, and competitive drivers. We have discussed it, and they are professionals. They know where the limits are, but they have done a fantastic job so far.” – the French manager pointed out.
Carlos Sainz’s significant growth and Ferrari after the summer break
“You can see that Carlos is a part of this environment, thanks also to his father’s example,” Fred Vasseur says, praising his driver. “He’s tenacious, and we see it in every lap he takes. This year, he worked hard on some things that slowed him down, and he changed his approach after Monza. In sports, talent is not enough. You need to keep improving, and Carlos has this mentality.”
Carlos Sainz himself, after struggling to adapt to the car at the start of the season, admitted he had to change something to regain his form: “In F1, the level is very high, and everyone works. No one can afford not to work. We all go fast. What you can do is focus on the details and maybe find something more that others don’t. I enjoy driving, but you need talent and speed; otherwise, it’s useless. After winning in Singapore and defending in Suzuka, the team showed signs of weakness again in Qatar, proving they can’t keep up with McLaren and Mercedes. Ferrari is still in the fight with the Silver Arrows for the second place in the constructors, but it will require a significant effort to beat the Hamilton-Russell duo.” – the Ferrari man concluded.
Source: f1ingenerale
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