Carlos Sainz wins the 2024 Components 1 Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix, and at this level, Ferrari is as soon as once more combating for one thing vital. After years of seasons with lackluster endings, the Maranello crew is competing for the Constructors’ Championship for the primary time within the turbo-hybrid period, with solely 4 races remaining within the season. A situation that was arduous to foretell a number of months in the past, even for the incurable optimists. The engineers of the Prancing Horse managed to get the SF-24 again on observe when it comes to improvement after dropping confidence as a result of aerodynamic updates launched on the Circuit de Catalunya within the Spanish Grand Prix.
A flooring design that utterly derailed the technical plan for the championship, throwing away not less than three months of the present Components 1 season. For the reason that Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit, the Ferrari SF-24 automobiles have virtually all the time fought for victory with each drivers, on circuits with utterly totally different traits. This second consecutive victory in a busy triple-header allowed them to surpass the “derelict” Crimson Bull, which has been in free fall since Might, and it concurrently gave Ferrari the prospect to significantly intention on the standings devoted to the F1 constructors.
Though Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz haven’t any likelihood of competing for the drivers’ championship crown, as they’re too many factors behind the Dutchman Max Verstappen, they’re delivering actually distinctive performances. Above even the rosiest expectations. Carlos Sainz was craving one final spotlight behind the wheel of the SF-24, and due to an impeccable Mexican weekend from the primary session onward, he managed for the primary time in his profession to win a couple of Grand Prix in the identical season. With urge for food rising as one eats, the Spaniard might win different races earlier than bidding farewell to the historic Maranello crew, fueling his want to enter Ferrari’s historical past.
The Spanish driver is conscious that, barring extraordinary surprises, the close to future is not going to supply him the prospect to struggle for victory. Alternatively, the present worth of Williams will not be a lot in the intervening time, and it’s unlikely to enhance to such an extent that it might enable a return to the highest. That is an additional motivation for Carlos Sainz to complement his file and to enter Ferrari’s historical past. Sure, as a result of successful the Constructors’ title with the Italian aspect would enable the Spaniard to depart an vital mark on his work.
It might not be a private title to point out off however a major legacy after 4 years of arduous work within the purple crew’s courtroom. A form of tangible proof that the Maranello lineup could possibly be thought of the perfect on the grid, able to maximizing weekend race outcomes regardless of the the various ups and downs which have been encountered through the season. Frankly, the Spanish driver felt the blow. Being all of a sudden relieved of his duties was a completely sudden situation. And exactly due to this, it hurts much more. And it couldn’t be totally different.
When the dream of Ferrari president John Elkann, and that of tens of millions of followers, to deliver Lewis Hamilton to Italy got here true, there was now not room for the Spaniard. However Carlos Sainz confirmed what resilience actually means. He absorbed the blow, rolled up his sleeves, and by no means disparaged the Maranello crew that had fed him, though he was primarily proven the door when a renewal appeared the most definitely situation. Certainly, the son of the two-time World Rally champion has grown in each respect in comparison with the younger man who joined Ferrari in 2021.
He has realized to win, to be sooner in qualifying, with among the best within the discipline for single-lap efficiency on the opposite aspect of the storage. Regardless of the pure rivalry with Charles Leclerc, their collaboration has been a precious asset for the Prancing Horse. Though the anticipation of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in purple is feverish, there’s a subliminal sense that, ultimately, Carlos Sainz would possibly genuinely have been able to assembly the Italian crew’s ambitions within the coming years. This can be a sentiment shared by a good portion of the fan base.
Reality be instructed, a sensational return of Carlos Sainz can’t be dominated out.
On the finish of the 12 months, Ferrari and Carlos Sainz will due to this fact half methods virtually reluctantly, as each events have been happy with the skilled collaboration. On a couple of event, there was discuss of a attainable return to Maranello when Lewis Hamilton decides to hold up his helmet, a situation removed from unlikely. The final World Champion for the purple crew, Kimi Raikkonen, who received the drivers’ title within the 2007 Components 1 season, returned to the Italian automobile for beginning with the 2014 championship, resulting in a second sporting life that lasted one other 5 seasons.
Furthermore, each Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are demonstrating that, with the mandatory bodily preparation and sufficient coaching, it’s attainable to be extremely aggressive even previous the age of 40 in as we speak’s Components 1. This 12 months Carlos Sainz turned 30, and, age-wise, he can nonetheless race at excessive ranges for a lot of extra seasons. Within the meantime, he can solely look to shut his present journey at Ferrari in the easiest way attainable, aiming to assist the Constructors’ Championship struggle, a situation that will bind Carlos Sainz to Ferrari by a good stronger frequent thread than is already the case.
— see video above —