Carlos Sainz wins the 2024 System 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 exhausting 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 by way of growth after shedding confidence because of the 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 at the least three months of the present System 1 season. For the reason that Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit, the Ferrari SF-24 vehicles have virtually at all times 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” Pink Bull, which has been in free fall since Might, and it concurrently gave Ferrari the possibility to noticeably goal 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 really 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 may 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 won’t provide him the possibility to battle 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 will 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 profitable the Constructors’ title with the Italian facet would enable the Spaniard to depart an essential mark on his work.
It might not be a private title to point out off however a big legacy after 4 years of exhausting work within the purple crew’s court docket. A form of tangible proof that the Maranello lineup could possibly be thought of one of the best on the grid, able to maximizing weekend race outcomes regardless of the the numerous ups and downs which have been encountered throughout the season. Frankly, the Spanish driver felt the blow. Being all of a sudden relieved of his duties was a very surprising 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 thousands and thousands of followers, to convey Lewis Hamilton to Italy got here true, there was not room for the Spaniard. However Carlos Sainz confirmed what resilience really 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 more than likely 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 discovered to win, to be quicker in qualifying, with top-of-the-line within the area for single-lap efficiency on the opposite facet of the storage. Regardless of the pure rivalry with Charles Leclerc, their collaboration has been a worthwhile asset for the Prancing Horse. Though the anticipation of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in purple is feverish, there’s a subliminal sense that, in the long run, Carlos Sainz would possibly genuinely have been able to assembly the Italian crew’s ambitions within the coming years. It is a sentiment shared by a good portion of the fan base.
Reality be informed, a sensational return of Carlos Sainz can’t be dominated out.
On the finish of the 12 months, Ferrari and Carlos Sainz will subsequently half methods virtually reluctantly, as each events had been happy with the skilled collaboration. On a couple of event, there was speak 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 gained the drivers’ title within the 2007 System 1 season, returned to the Italian automotive 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 required bodily preparation and sufficient coaching, it’s attainable to be extremely aggressive even previous the age of 40 in in the present day’s System 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 one of the simplest ways attainable, aiming to help the Constructors’ Championship battle, a situation that might bind Carlos Sainz to Ferrari by a fair stronger widespread thread than is already the case.
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