Carlos Sainz happy with 'flashes of speed' but admits best is yet to come at Ferrari

F1 race driver Carlos Sainz believes he is still some way off showing his best for new team Ferrari. However, he has been showing flashes of speed and expects better to come as the season wears on. Sainz, who joined Ferrari from McLaren for the 2021 season, has finished among the points in both occasions. That being said, there remains a feeling that he could do more. “That’s something I set myself as homework over the winter and I’ve been working really hard,” said Sainz, speaking on F1 TV’s Post-Race Show in Imola.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time in the factory and I’m working very hard with the guys. But I’m still far off from being the Carlos of McLaren and I know that and the team knows that.

“But I have flashes of a lot of speed like we saw in Bahrain qualifying. We saw it again today in the wet that I was flying in some laps, even in the mixed conditions.

“So there’s some very good flashes out there and now we just need to keep working. Let the races go by and all the experience will join together and it will make me stronger.”

‘Podium not far away’

Carlos Sainz also spoke in detail about the Emilia Romagna GP, saying he could have gotten a podium at Imola. However, circumstances meant he was always on the back foot.

“Today (Imola GP) actually we were very close – I must say that the podium was two seconds away and I lost 10 seconds by going in the gravel,” said Sainz.

“So the podium was not far away today, even starting 11th like I was starting.

“The pace is encouraging, my feeling with the car in the wet is encouraging, and even in the dry I could keep up with Charles and Lando – we were pushing each other a lot.

“So there’s some positive signs out there, I just need to put a whole weekend together.

“But today considering I was starting 11th, I did a couple of mistakes, first time in the wet and all that, I cannot be too disappointed with a recovery to fifth.”