Carlos Sainz expressed his disappointment after the Austrian Grand Prix, despite matching his best result of the season with a fourth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring. While his teammate Charles Leclerc secured second place behind the dominant winner, Max Verstappen, Sainz struggled to find satisfaction in his performance.
During the early stages of the race, Sainz had applied pressure on Leclerc for the second position. However, prior to the race, it had been agreed that the Ferrari duo would not engage in a battle for positions. Unfortunately, this pre-race arrangement left Sainz vulnerable during a virtual safety car period, which compromised his race and seemingly cost him three places.
Due to his inferior track position, Sainz found himself held behind Leclerc during a delayed double-stack pit stop for Ferrari. As a result, he was still in the pit lane when the virtual safety car period ended, negating some of the advantage he would have gained. Reflecting on the situation, Sainz explained, “The first and second stints were very quick for me. However, the second stint was already compromised by the initial pit stop, where I ended up pitting behind Charles. Additionally, the virtual safety car ending caused me to lose around six to seven seconds of valuable race time. Consequently, I lost positions to cars that I shouldn’t have, and then I had to push hard on the medium tires to overtake them, which led to a track limits penalty.”
Sainz believed that without the strategy mishap, the missed opportunity for Ferrari to swap their cars, and the incurred penalty, the team could have achieved a double podium finish. Disappointed by the execution of the race from the pit wall and the resulting loss of points, Sainz found it difficult to focus on the positives despite his impressive pace throughout the event.
Expressing his frustration, Sainz said, “I’ve had several races where I’ve shown great pace in the car. I wish I could have capitalized on it more because I feel exceptionally fast this year, especially during the races. I believe I’ve made significant progress… P4 isn’t bad, but I think today we had the potential for P2 or P3. Nonetheless, I’m pleased with my performance today.”
Sainz highlighted his clean and precise maneuvers, effective defense, and his ability to overtake opponents while managing his tires well. However, despite these achievements, he struggled to find satisfaction in his fourth-place finish. He concluded, “Right now, I’m frustrated because I find it challenging to see the positives in this result, considering the pace, overtaking, and defending that I demonstrated.”
Summing up his emotions, Sainz added, “Personally, I feel I’m in a good moment with my driving, which is why I’m also frustrated that I’m not maximizing my points.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about disappointment
What was Carlos Sainz’s result in the Austrian GP?
Carlos Sainz achieved a fourth-place finish in the Austrian GP, which equaled his best result of the season.
What happened during the virtual safety car period?
During the virtual safety car period, Carlos Sainz found himself compromised due to his inferior track position. This situation cost him valuable race time and resulted in him losing positions to cars that he shouldn’t have.
Why was Carlos Sainz frustrated despite his fourth-place finish?
Carlos Sainz expressed frustration despite his fourth-place finish because he believed he had the potential for a higher position, possibly second or third. He felt that the strategy mishap, missed opportunity for Ferrari to swap cars, and a track limits penalty hindered his performance and prevented him from maximizing his points.
How did Carlos Sainz assess his own performance in the race?
Carlos Sainz evaluated his performance positively, considering his clean and precise maneuvers, effective defense, and ability to overtake opponents while managing his tires well. He felt he had made progress and demonstrated strong pace throughout the race.
More about disappointment
- Ferrari Official Website
- Formula 1 Official Website
- Austrian Grand Prix Race Report
- Carlos Sainz Profile
- Virtual Safety Car Explanation
- Track Limits Rules in Formula 1
4 comments
Virtual safety car really screwed up Sainz’s race. He lost positions and valuable time because of it. Ferrari needs to work on their pit stop timings and coordination. Sainz showed great pace, though. He deserved a podium finish. #AustrianGP
Sainz had a great race at austrian GP. He was super quick and made some sick overtakes! it’s a shame he didnt get a better result. but hey, at least he matched his best finish of the season. keep pushing, Sainz! #TeamSainz
omg, Ferrari totally messed up with their strategy in the austrian GP. Sainz could’ve done so much better if they had swapped the cars and avoided that track limits penalty. it’s frustrating to see such mistakes from a top team. #FerrariFail
carlos sainz was soooo disapointd with the austrian gp result i cant blve it!!!!! he shud hav got p2 or p3 but bad stratagy and stuff hapened. poor guy :'(