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Carlos Sainz was seen celebrating with the first-ever F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia following the latter's victory.
The 23-year-old Spaniard clinched the inaugural F1 Academy Championship title with a lights-to-flag victory at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. This event marked the series' first foray outside of Europe, adding an extra layer of significance to Garcia's extraordinary triumph.
Racing under the Prema Racing banner, Garcia's victory came with two races still on the calendar, a testament to her dominance throughout the season.
Facing pressure from fellow competitor Abbi Pulling, Garcia showcased nerves of steel as she held her ground and sealed her championship status in a historic race.
The significance of this achievement was not lost on fans worldwide, especially one of Garcia's compatriots and F1 stalwart for Ferrari, Carlos Sainz Jr. The Spanish driver joined Garcia in her celebrations, showcasing his support.
Social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), lit up with a deluge of reactions as images of the jubilant duo spread online. One fan joked:
"A talented racing driver and Carlos Sainz"
Some fans also dubbed the visit by Sainz as a PR-directed move. A user wrote:
"pr merchant"
Another user chimed in with a sentiment shared by many, expressing relief and satisfaction at seeing Garcia's compatriot stand by her side during the occasion. The comment read:
"Glad he did this. I hoped her countrymen would show up."
Here are some more reactions from X:
Carlos Sainz finishes strongly in Austin in the United States GP
The 29-year-old Ferrari driver had yet another impactful outing on the grid on Sunday as he secured a P3 position in the main race in Austin.
Heading into the main race at the Circuit of the Americas, Carlos Sainz was coming off an underwhelming outing from Saturday's Sprint race, where the Spaniard finished sixth.
Having secured a P4 position on the starting grid on Friday, the Ferrari ace was the only driver who started Saturday's sprint race on soft tyres. The strategy didn't pay off for Sainz as he finished sixth in the final sprint race of the season, behind McLaren's Lando Norris and Sergio Perez of Red Bull.
Sainz fared better in the main race. The only driver not piloting a Red Bull to have won a race this season, he pushed strongly for a podium finish but was successfully held off by McLaren's Lando Norris. He was ultimately bumped to P3 after Lewis Hamilton's disqualification.
The Spaniard also finished ahead of teammate and pole-winner Charles Leclerc, who was subsequently disqualified after his car failed post-race inspections.
