F1 | Sainz: “Ferrari is the only team to keep up with Mercedes”

Ferrari does not have to re-found itself but only find itself. Carlos Sainz, interviewed by the Spanish newspaper SoyMotor, expressed his point of view on the Maranello team who chose him to replace Sebastian Vettel. The new standard bearer of the Cavallino, who has signed a two-year contract with the Red, is certain that the team does not need upheavals but just needs to find the path that in the past allowed him to compete with Mercedes.

"Rather than rebuilding, we need to change the word to see you again – Sainz said – We must not forget that the engineers who are at Ferrari at the moment are the only ones who have managed to keep up with Mercedes. We could add Red Bull, but the only one fighting for a title until the last four races was Ferrari. We are talking about this, if Mercedes did not exist in Formula 1, Ferrari would be a great team in recent years".

Sainz, continuing his discussion, added: “Here's my reflection: if there are the same people, what the team needs to do is meet up a little. We have gone through very hard years. 2019 was a difficult year, 2020 an even more difficult year and now it's time to get back in the right direction".

Before taking to the track for the pre-season tests in Sakhir, Sainz had the opportunity to test the SF71H at Fiorano at the end of January. Despite the restrictions and the health emergency dictated by Covid, people did not lack support for their new darling. A demonstration of affection that certainly did not escape the Spanish Matador.

"I was very impressed by the Fiorano fans. People climbed the fences just to see my installation tour at Fiorano. It shocked me – Sainz admitted – I said, 'How many times have the fans climbed that fence, how many times have they come here to see Schumacher test the car, and now they're coming in to see me. And that feeling of saying 'this only happens in Ferrari', because there is no other team that has a circuit in a city and that city goes there to see the car run. A circuit in the city and a circuit in the factory. And the factory and the circuit are the center of the city. This is unique".