Former world rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr, the father of Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, is no longer a regular figure in the Formula 1 paddock, explaining that the Ferrari driver does not need his advice.
Carlos already has 129 Formula One races despite the fact that he is only 25-years-old: Carlos has scored four podium finishes, including two podiums for the Maranello team, in Monaco and Hungary this year.
As a result, his father decided to consciously step away – a process accelerated in the past year by the coronavirus pandemic that has made it impossible to travel to races around the world.
“I always knew that with the passage of time I was going to attend less and less races, as has happened since he got to Formula 1,” he told Motorsport.com last week. – “Every year I came to fewer races. Last year I did not go anywhere with COVID. I think this year I have gone to two or three races. He knows what he has to do, and it is his life, his challenge, his passion. He has to make his own way.” – he explained
But just because he is no longer trackside when his son is in action, it doesn’t mean that the two don’t talk about what’s happening and how things have gone during the Formula 1 weekend.
“He knows my phone number. Obviously, we talk basically every day at the end of the day. But my presence is not necessary, and if I come, it is only for the pleasure of being there and observing.” – he added.
Carlos Sainz scord a third place finish at the Hungaroring track in the last race ahead of the summer break:
“I am happy for him, proud that he is doing well,” Sainz Sr said of his sone’ latest podium.
Coming into 2021, many feared that Carlos Sainz would be overwhelmed by his established team mate at Maranello, Charles Leclerc.
But in fact the pair have been very evenly matched. Sainz is three points ahead of the Monegasque in the drivers standings going into the summer shutdown.
“I was sure he had the ability to adapt quickly to the car, but obviously Leclerc’s challenge – Charles is a very fast driver,” he acknowledged. “Carlos and Charles are working very well, they are putting pressure on each other. For now, what I see from the outside is all positive. [Carlos[ is happy: of course he is still waiting for a perfect weekend, as he said, but it will come. He has gone step by step. The good thing about him is that he is improving every year, every time he learns, he tries hard.”
And Sainz Sr is hoping that the upcoming overhaul of rules and regulations will present his son with a whole new series of opportunities in which to shine in 2022.
“Next year’s regulations are going to be different, so the drivers will have to adapt to a completely new way of driving Formula 1 cars,” he pointed out. “It is going to be a huge challenge. The difference is that, of course, [he] will know the team much better than this year, all the engineers, how they work.” – Former world rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr concluded.
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