When Ferrari announced the signing of Carlos Sainz for the 2021 season, it was clear that their thoughts were literally and metaphorically on the future.
At 25, the Spaniard will surely have a long and successful career in F1, and the Scuderia have perhaps been canny in capturing him on a two-year deal.
But the water has been muddied by the revelation of Daniel Ricciardo that he was Ferrari’s first choice as a replacement for Sebastian Vettel, with talks over a transfer from Renault ongoing up until the point that Sainz was announced.
With Leclerc also penning a new long-term contract, the current McLaren man knows that he will always be number two to the Frenchman, however if Ferrari want to be seriously competitive and look to usurp Mercedes in the coming seasons, they know that they need two drivers who are capable of accumulating a sizable points haul.
So the question remains: is Carlos Sainz a future world champion?
Massa Says Sainz Has the Game
The Spaniard enjoyed a fine career in the Formula Renault Series, winning two championships in 2011 and 2014.
Triumphing at that level is a pretty standard point of entry for Formula One, and while he has shown glimpses of quality in his F1 career to date with Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, Sainz is yet to win a race and has just one top-three finish to his name in five full seasons as a driver.
However, he has been a consistent points scorer, and has routinely been let down by problems with his cars. In 2019 in particular Sainz arguably outperformed the constraints placed upon him by a McLaren car that is still a considerable distance behind the ‘big three’ of F1.
And there were some huge individual performances in the mix too. Who can forget the Brazilian Grand Prix last year, when Sainz climbed up from twentieth position on the grid after suffering engine problems in qualifying to fourth – and eventually third when Lewis Hamilton was disqualified?
There are many pundits who believe that the 25-year-old has what it takes to thrive at the Scuderia, including no less a judge than Felipe Massa, a former World Championship runner-up with Ferrari, who believes that Sainz “has the talent” to make it in one of the most sought-after positions in professional racing.
“He is a big worker in the physical way, but also in the team,” The Brazilian told the Ferrari Legends vodcast. “He grew a lot in his career and last year he did a really fantastic year for McLaren. He has the experience so has the capacity to give what the team wants.”
What it wants, of course, is a reliable second driver who can compete for titles while having the personality to accept his position in the pecking order behind Leclerc. On that note, Sainz looks to be the perfect foil for the exciting Frenchman. Although, his real progress is yet to be made evident in terms of betting odds, and Sainz won’t be appearing in the top two or three picks in the Championship – though that doesn’t mean hope is lost.
At the moment, Betway is showing betting odds for Sainz as being at 150/1, which is laps away from Hamilton’s odds of 15/8 and Verstappen’s 9/4. Although, as we’ve already seen, Sainz is well-equipped to perhaps surprise us all, so it’s best to keep an eye out for the Spaniard veering into the top spots. In the meantime, there will be a clear demand for him to pick up as many points as possible.
Under Pressure
One of the difficulties of taking a step up in your career, and signing a relatively short two-year deal, is that there is an immediate pressure to perform.
If Sainz gets off to a slow start in 2021 – for context, he didn’t record a single top-six finish last season until the campaign rolled around to Monaco – then already the vultures will be circling, especially as Ricciardo could be lured to the Scuderia in 2023.
The consensus is that this new and improved Ferrari is driving better than ever too, so Sainz really will have nowhere to hide.
A former engineer at Ferrari, Rob Smedley, has branded the team’s chiefs as “ruthless”, and you suspect they will have no intention of cutting the Spaniard loose from his contract if they believe he isn’t up to the mark.
The passion of the fans, the iconic red livery…there’s a lot for Ferrari drivers to live up to as far as expectations and history go, and there’s no doubt that this will be the biggest challenge of Sainz’s driving career.
Indeed, it was rather telling that when asked what Sainz would need to do after joining Ferrari, Smedley responded “grow thick skin, you’re gonna need it!” He was only half-joking.
So the journey to glory is clear for Carlos Sainz. He will be Charles Leclerc’s wingman, make no mistake about it, and forging his own path will be difficult. But the Spaniard couldn’t wish to be at a better team as he dreams of competing for the Drivers’ World Championship.
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