Carlos Sainz believes he would’ve taken his maiden grand prix win in Formula 1 on Sunday in Monaco if he had a stronger out-lap following his pit stop.
While most drivers in the field pitted for Intermediate tyres before going to slicks, Sainz remained on the full Wet compound that he used from the start of the race before fitting a set of Hard tyres.
The Spaniard emerged from his stop in a net second place, with Sergio Perez taking the lead of the race through strategy.
However, Sainz was stuck behind the lapped car of Nicholas Latifi, who only released Sainz as they entered the tunnel section.
Perez went on to win the grand prix, but Sainz believes that he would’ve been lifting the winner’s trophy if his out-lap following the stop was smoother.
“I felt like we did everything that we had to do out there, we stayed patient on the Wets, we took the right decision to go until the slick,” Sainz said.
“But a lapped car or a terrible out lap there stuck behind a lapped car cost me the race win today, so you can understand the frustration.
“A clean out lap would’ve secured me the race win today but it’s how this sport is sometimes.”
Sainz says that he knew early during the opening stint on the Wet tyres that waiting to switch to the dry tyres was the right strategy for him.
“I knew it from halfway through the first stint I started to see the dry line and I started to realise that it was going to go straight into slicks,” he said.
“I think we did the right call as we were leading the race basically. Then we pitted for that hard tyre, obviously hard is never easy on the out lap.
“But I had to do twelve corners behind the lapped car that cost me at least a couple of seconds, that cost me a race win.
“Anyway, I’m not going to complain too much, I know that this sport is like that.
“Checo was unlucky in Jeddah, obviously today he did a great race plus he got a bit lucky with myself. In this sport it will turn around one day or later.”
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