"The best experience this year so far" - Carlos Sainz describes how the Saudi Arabian GP helped him 'become stronger for the future'

Carlos Sainz says he had his best experience with Ferrari this season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend. The Spaniard said that new insights into the F1-75 reportedly allowed him to get more comfortable with the car.

After struggling to match teammate Charles Leclerc’s pace in the first round in Bahrain, Sainz was closer to the Monegasque in Saudi Arabia and eventually finished on the podium. Speaking to GPFans following the Saudi Arabian GP, he said:

“It was the best experience this year so far, in terms of going to a track that 100 days before I was at with a super high level of confidence in last year’s car. I was super quick in qualifying and in the race and I knew exactly what to expect from the car and what the car was giving me.”

Sainz revealed that he initially lacked the confidence that he had with Ferrari’s 2021 car. Corners that were easier in last year’s car were reportedly difficult in the F1-75. Following the new revelation, however, the Spaniard believes his confidence is closer to last year’s levels. He said:

“One hundred days later [since Abu Dhabi], I come back and corners where last year I was very strong, this year I seemed to be struggling quite a bit more and I am not driving the car how it was meant to be driven. The car was not giving me a feeling I need for my driving. These two combinations of things are the things I am working on, and I think I made a step in the right direction for the race.”

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Carlos Sainz reluctant to make his learnings from Saudi Arabia public

Carlos Sainz has chosen to keep his learnings from Saudi Arabia “private”, fearing that it might allow rivals an insight into the workings of the highly successful car. Speaking to GPFans, he said:

“The technicalities and the specifics, I think they need to stay in the team for the sake of privacy and not giving away too much. It is something so specific and so technical that it will be very difficult to explain, and I think we need to keep a level of privacy with these kinds of things.”

Sainz is known for his ability to adapt to almost any car given enough time. For much of his F1 career, the Spaniard has raced on one-year contracts and has done stints with four different teams and two different power unit manufacturers.

While he starts off the season slow, Carlos Sainz gradually builds momentum, delivering consistent performances to often edge out his teammates. Last season, despite being in his first year with Ferrari, he managed to beat his more celebrated teammate Charles Leclerc in the driver’s standings.