Sainz: Ferrari not a team that "devours" its drivers
Carlos Sainz has paid tribute to how McLaren's family atmosphere has made him thrive at the Formula 1 team but isn't worried that his new employer Ferrari will be lacking in that area.
Sainz is switching from McLaren to Ferrari to replace Sebastian Vettel, whose expiring contract was not renewed beyond 2020.
Vettel enjoyed a strong start to life at Ferrari, but as the team went through several changes and its competitiveness started to slip, the four-time world champion started to struggle. The arrival of Charles Leclerc in 2019 further complicated matters for Vettel, as the Monegasque's mercurial performances gradually eroded Vettel's status and level of support within the team.
Ferrari called on Sainz to replace the German in 2021 after two highly rated seasons with the resurgent McLaren, culminating in two podiums at the 2019 Brazilian GP and 2020 Italian GP.
Sainz doesn't believe Vettel's exit from Maranello is a warning sign.
"Ferrari is not a team that eats and devours its drivers," Sainz argued. "If you see Vettel's career… what driver wouldn't have wanted to spend five years at Ferrari like he has been?
"The longest I've been in a team is two years, so if Ferrari is a team that devours drivers, what are Renault, Toro Rosso and all the others?
"Alonso also spent five years at Ferrari. That doesn't seem like a team that devours drivers, but cycles.
"Of course I want to have a cycle at Ferrari, create a similar environment [to McLaren] there. I already have experience in creating a works team, and I hope I have a team equal, similar or better than the one I have at McLaren. I'm going to do my best to have it."
Sainz praised McLaren for making him an overall better and more consistent driver, which was reflected in the Spaniard's back-to-back sixth-place finishes in the world championship.
"A team like McLaren has allowed me to get the best version of myself as a driver," Sainz added.
"I am an improved version of what I was at Toro Rosso and Renault. I have improved in races, in starts, in qualifying, but I don't know where I am better now. It has been a continuous and probably more advanced progression than I thought.
"In McLaren I have felt more comfortable than in other places, and that stability of a two-year contract has allowed me to improve as a driver and adapt more to the car, get more performance. I'm very happy and very grateful for these two years."
Related video
Previous article
Why Stirling Moss was ‘Mr. Motor Racing’
Next article
The Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2020
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Carlos Sainz Jr. |
| Teams | Scuderia Ferrari |
| Author | Filip Cleeren |
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
