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Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have gotten off to an incredible start. With consecutive double-podium finishes in the first two races of the much anticipated 2022 F1 season, one can say Ferrari are finally back in form. The Monegasque appears to have found phenomenal pace in his car, having taken a win in Bahrain and fought very hard for a second in Saudi Arabia. Both times, Sainz has been right behind him, bringing in the maximum possible points for Ferrari with a P2 and P3 finish consecutively.
Leclerc has been pegged as a future world champion ever since he went into his Alfa Romeo back in 2019 and signed with Ferrari soon after. Given the pace and significant advantage of the team over the rest this season, Leclerc appears ready to chase his first F1 title. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, received massive praise over the last season for his consistency and racecraft, making him just the perfect fit at Ferrari.
So, here are 3 Reasons why we think Ferrari might have found the best #2 in Carlos Sainz.
#3 The consistency to contribute significant points
At a time when Ferrari found themselves at their lowest, they desperately needed a driver who was consistent. He also needed to have the pace to bring up points in the constructors’ championship to help the Prancing Horse return to its glory days.
As the 2021 F1 season proved, Carlos Sainz undoubtedly has what it takes to step up in times when he is most needed and take podiums that significantly help the team in the championship. When it comes to putting together a Grand Prix weekend, the Spaniard may not be the fastest in a single lap qualifying session. He, however, truly comes out shining on Sunday and can be unstoppable in a car that is fast and that he is comfortable with.
Charles Leclerc has been known to have a slight tendency to make a few mistakes, which leads to slight inconsistencies in results, especially on Sundays. So Sainz's presence can be essential to the team in securing their place at the top.
#2 A strong team-mate pairing on and off the track
Carlos Sainz drove his first season with Ferrari in 2021 and his relationship with Charles Leclerc played a massive role in a strong third-place finish for the team in the constructors' standings. All year long, both drivers stood extremely close in their results. They often finished races one behind the other, proving that both drivers were extracting everything they possibly could from the 2021 challenger. They compliment each other's skillsets and balance out each other's discrepancies.
Sainz finished the season 5.5 points ahead of his teammate with a career-best fifth in the drivers' standings. He also currently holds an impressive consecutive 17-race point-finishing streak as it stands from the 2021 season up to the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It should be noted that Leclerc faced several moments of bad luck throughout the 2021 season, but Sainz was there at every single one of these moments to pick up the slack and score points for the team. Ferrari seem to be in a position to fight for the world championship this year and Carlos Sainz is expected to play a significant part in these prospects for the team.
The two drivers also appear to have a friendly relationship off the track, just as Sainz does with his former McLaren team-mate Lando Norris, and this certainly helps the Italian constructors immensely.
#1 Carlos Sainz has presumably reached his peak in F1
While the 2022 F1 season is likely to be extremely close and it is still too early to write Carlos Sainz off for the championship title, it can be assumed that this is as good as the 27-year-old is set to get. This essentially means that Leclerc's ability and scope to grow further is bigger than that of Sainz, and this could significantly impact the team roles and dynamics soon, if not this season itself. The Spaniard may assume a more wingman-type role in the team instead of having the opportunity to put himself out there for a title win. Leclerc, over the next few years, is certainly expected to play a bigger role in the team, while Sainz will be expected to play the role of a small piece of the puzzle. The team's long-term commitment to Leclerc is a testament to their faith in his capabilities and prospects. Sainz has not been shown the same faith so far.
