Carlos Sainz looks back on a difficult 2023 Ferrari season, which he nevertheless remembers positively thanks to his second Formula 1 victory in Singapore
For a long time, Carlos Sainz was ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in the championship standings, but with two second places in the last two races, the Monegasque managed a season-ending spurt that Sainz was unable to fend off with a sixth place in Las Vegas and a zero in Abu Dhabi
And although Sainz slipped from fourth to seventh in the drivers’ standings in Abu Dhabi, he looked like the Scuderia’s more consistent driver over long stretches and, with victory in Singapore, was able to secure not only the only Ferrari win of the year, but also the only non-Red Bull victory in 2023.
When asked whether this victory changes his view of what is otherwise a difficult year for Ferrari, he says: “100 percent! It must have an impact on the year, because it’s not like we’ve had many chances to win a race this year. The fact that this opportunity came up in Singapore and we took it and didn’t waste a single opportunity was a great achievement, not only for me but also for the team. “
Sainz: Proved to us that we can still win!
“Simply to prove to the team that we are capable of winning if the opportunity arises next year. And we were under pressure this weekend because we were aware that it could be our only weekend where we might be able to fight for a win in combination with Vegas.”
“The fact that we made the most of it, that we performed well, that we didn’t fail under pressure and that we got through this weekend. I think this is great proof that we are capable of achieving something next year if we get a good car,” hopes Sainz.
Nevertheless, the Spaniard has found it difficult to come to terms with Ferrari’s start to the season, when Red Bull ran circles around the competition. After still being able to race for the championship with Charles Leclerc at the start of 2022, the gap in the first races of 2023 increased to over half a second in the race
Sainz: The start of the season was difficult to cope with
“I think the first part of the year was difficult because we all expected more, including me,” said Sainz. “I was a bit disappointed and surprised by the gap to Red Bull on some tracks and the way we couldn’t really fight for the targets we had set ourselves. “
“In the second half, it was clear to me and the team that it was about making the most of our opportunities and acknowledging the fact that there would be races where we would be fighting for pole position and maybe the win.”
“But there will be other tracks where we’ll have to settle for P5, P6 or P7 because we’re almost a second off the pace of the race. Recognizing that and adjusting to it changed my mindset and I realized that every weekend was going to be a little bit different.”
“It was just about being consistent, scoring points for the team and making the most of what we had. And there were very few mistakes in the second half. I think I got the maximum out of the car that was available to us. “