Carlos Sainz has each motive to really feel aggrieved by Ferrari’s resolution to not renew his contract. Even with a driver as legendary as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton accessible, Carlos Sainz believed he had earned the suitable to stick with the workforce.
This season has solely bolstered that perception. Forward of the Qatar Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz sits two locations and 51 factors forward of Hamilton within the championship standings.
Whereas a lot of this may be attributed to Ferrari’s edge over Mercedes this yr, the extra telling comparability lies of their performances relative to their teammates. Hamilton trails George Russell by 9 factors and has solely outperformed him in 11 Grands Prix this season. In distinction, Carlos Sainz has defeated Charles Leclerc in 15 Grands Prix and will shut the season inside three of his teammate in each qualifying and race-day head-to-heads (presently 13-8 and 12-7).
Carlos Sainz has delivered one more spectacular marketing campaign, however now faces the prospect of shifting from Ferrari to Williams, a workforce battling on the decrease finish of the grid. Including to his frustration, he’s needed to watch Hamilton endure one of many hardest seasons of his profession.
Peter Windsor puzzled by Carlos Sainz’s fireplace in comparison with Lewis Hamilton’s struggles at Qatar GP
Carlos Sainz’s dedication was on full show throughout Dash qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix, the place he clocked the fourth-fastest lap, narrowly edging out Charles Leclerc. In distinction, Hamilton struggled, ending four-tenths slower than George Russell and qualifying seventh, whereas his teammate secured a spot on the entrance row alongside Lando Norris.
Reflecting on this disparity, Peter Windsor famous on his YouTube channel that Hamilton’s efficiency suggests he could have “mentally signed off.” Peter Windsor expressed confusion as to why the 39-year-old appears to lack drive, particularly with a transfer to a different prime workforce on the horizon. In the meantime, Carlos Sainz continues to battle relentlessly, regardless of figuring out that subsequent season will probably see him out of podium competition and competing for scraps within the midfield. He has outqualified Charles Leclerc just lately and even claimed victory in Mexico Metropolis simply final month, proving his unwavering dedication.
“Possibly it’s Lewis form of signed off mentally,” the previous Ferrari normal supervisor mentioned. “But it surely’s attention-grabbing to match [him to] Carlos Sainz, who in idea ought to be signing off mentally – Ferrari have mainly sacked him after an excellent yr with the Scuderia, and he’s driving for Williams subsequent yr, which isn’t the identical as going to a different frontrunning workforce in the way in which Lewis is. And but it’s attention-grabbing the way in which Carlos has approached these final three races, outqualifying his teammate, profitable races, trying actually good. Whereas Lewis Hamilton on the opposite aspect of the defence appears to be like fairly defeated in the intervening time.” – Peter Windsor added.
What Lewis Hamilton’s ‘darkest fears’ could be telling him as Mercedes chapter ends
Carlos Sainz, regardless of his imminent transfer to Williams, harbors hopes of sooner or later returning to Ferrari. His new contract with the struggling workforce is long-term, but it surely contains an choice to go away on the finish of 2026, doubtlessly aligning with future alternatives at Maranello.
This timing coincides intriguingly with the construction of Hamilton’s Ferrari deal, which is initially set for 2 years with a mutual choice for a 3rd. Whether or not that third season materializes may hinge on Hamilton’s capacity to dispel doubts about his present kind and resilience.
In response to BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson, the seven-time Formula1 world champion could be grappling with a few of his ‘darkest fears’ as he prepares to go away Mercedes. He’s probably questioning whether or not his current struggles stem from his personal efficiency or the restrictions of the automotive.
A very puzzling ingredient has been Hamilton’s complaints about rear instability, a trait he as soon as famously mastered throughout his profession. Traditionally famend for his talent in dealing with oversteer, it raises questions on whether or not the distinctive calls for of this era of Formulation 1 vehicles have muted a few of the skills that set him aside as a legend of the game.
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