Ferrari’s new recruit said he could have achieved more, if not for a compromising first lap.
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Carlos Sainz was one of the top performers for Ferrari at his home race in Barcelona, sealing another double-points haul. However, the Spaniard was far from happy as he believed that the Scuderia had failed to take advantage of the availability of some points. Ferrari enjoyed a successful march towards the front on Sunday, with Charles Leclerc finishing a stunning P4. Leclerc sparred with Valtteri Bottas at the start of the race, making his presence felt. However, Sainz has rued his inability to execute a proper first lap.
“Not very satisfied, to be honest, today. The car was better than the result. I felt like today, for the first time of the year, we were clearly the quickest car of the midfield but I got a poor, poor first lap,” he said as quoted by the official website of Formula 1.
“More than the first lap is that I was boxed in into Turn 1 and I couldn’t go anywhere. I guess I need to analyse what can I do better at the start to not lose the positions. Because from then on, we were fighting to get back. Overtaking was very difficult – possible – but very, very difficult, especially for us. We executed a good strategy, a good couple of pitstops and we managed to make it to P7. I felt like we left some points on the table,” added Sainz.
The former McLaren driver “nearly crashed” with former teammate Lando Norris, with the latter warned with a black-and-white flag for weaving on track in his defence of P8 in the latter stages of the race. Sainz stated that he had no hard feelings.
“From my side, it was a very close reaction to Norris’ movement. I think I nearly crashed into him, but we talked after the race and it’s all good. To be honest, black-and-white, whatever, I’m good with him,” said the Spaniard.
The action will now head to Monaco for Leclerc’s home race, having marked the conclusion of Sainz’s home race. Fans will look forward to some more excitement having witnessed so much action in the recently concluded race.
