The last qualifying of his first season in red ended with an unexpected sharp, on a track traditionally difficult for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz he will start from fifth position in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, sensationally mocking the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas and also his teammate Charles Leclerc (7th).
Great effort and great dedication to work for the Spaniard also in this last dance of 2021, as well as a further injection of confidence for him, protagonist of a growing season and able to demonstrate that he is up to Leclerc especially in future perspective.
“I’m happy, of course, especially after Gedda where I was very sorry about the elimination in Q2. I was very strong there and was too aggressive in Q2 when I shouldn’t have. Today I dosed myself better and did the fastest lap when it mattered, that is, in Q3 – commented Sainz immediately after the end of qualifying – I had a nice ride. Not perfect, but clean enough. I’ve always seen myself as capable. When I was a teammate of Norris, who I know is very good in qualifying (also seen how he went today, third) I was always there with him. I knew I could stay at that level: maybe people weren’t expecting it, but me I have always had faith in myself. Especially these 6-7 races I went very fast in qualifying and I exploited the potential of the car to the maximum ”.
“We have been closer to the top teams than I expected, especially seeing Perez and Bottas. Norris had to do a great lap, while I personally just lacked tire management a bit – added the Madrilenian – In Q2 I felt that if I pushed hard in the first two sectors, I would have struggled in the third. In Q3 I was able to control myself more in the first and second and to give more in the third. I did 22.9 which for me was more or less the limit of the car. I’m happy to have had the calm to react to all this and make a good lap at the end. Today we were closer to the pace we wanted ”.
As always, however, attention is already directed to the race: “Staying calm at the start is difficult, tomorrow is the last race of the year and I want to finish well. I will definitely go on the attack. If I ended the year with a good race, I would go on vacation very happy ”.
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