12/12/2024
NEWS STORY
Carlos Sainz admits to having a bittersweet feeling about his 'final' outing with Ferrari.
While teammate Charles Leclerc admits to feeling "hurt" having failed to secure the title for Ferrari, it was a bittersweet day for his teammate, who drove a typically strong race all the time aware, as he heads to Williams, that it is probably going to some time before he has a truly competitive car again.
"I'm not going to lie, my last laps, as much as I was pushing like hell for this team," said Sainz. "I was already starting to feel things in the car and trying to say, 'remember how this feels. because tomorrow and Tuesday I need to remember why is this car quick in this corner and why does it feel good!' Because I know probably what I'm going to find tomorrow and Tuesday needs some margin of improvement in the corners that I was feeling the car.
"This sums up that I'm already looking ahead," he added. "I'm extremely motivated for the challenge that I have ahead of me. Today is a day to try and enjoy as much as possible with the team as my last day in red. We still have some days in Maranello coming up, but obviously my competitive mind is already looking forward to Monday and Tuesday and to see how I can make that Williams car faster."
Asked how it felt to be leaving Ferrari after four seasons, he said: "Strange. A bit emotional, I'm not going to lie.
"Probably, I would say it was more emotional the last time that I jumped in the car, on the grid," he added. "I knew that was obviously going to be my last race with a group of people that I've enjoyed these last four years. The last time that I would jump in a Ferrari, probably, and I was just feeling emotional.
"I tried to remind myself to try and enjoy the race as much as possible and to give the absolute maximum for this team. Jumping out of the car, I already had the bittersweet feeling.
"I did get emotional at some point today," he admitted. "I'm not going to tell you exactly when or how. It's a feeling that I save to myself and for my team.
"Maybe it's all a bit of acting, and I'm acting like I'm not emotional at all," he smiled. "I've learned from Brad Pitt who is here this weekend.
"I tell you, I've been emotional. It's just up until today, there was too much of a job to do and too much of a thing to fight for. So your brain doesn't allow you to get emotional because you care more about winning and giving the team a constructors' championship than your emotions itself. Let's say, your competitiveness takes over. But today there were moments that I got emotional and luckily you guys didn't get to see it."
Check out our Sunday gallery from the Yas Marina here.