Carlos Sainz has set a goal of winning the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship in Abu Dhabi with Ferrari in what would be “the perfect goodbye.”
Ferrari trails McLaren by 21 points in the Constructors’ standings ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sainz’s last race with the team.
The Spaniard has known all season long that he will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year and he will move on to Williams in 2025.
After an impressive campaign whereby he’s claimed two GP victories, Sainz has spoken of the personal importance to leave Ferrari on the highest possible note.
“[Winning the Constructors’ Championship] would mean everything to me, honestly,” Sainz said on Thursday.
“It’s, I think, the best way to say goodbye to my home these last four years and to the team that I’ve given my absolute best to for the last four years and I’ve enjoyed every single moment with them.
“And to say goodbye with a Constructors’ title, I think, would be the perfect sign off, the perfect goodbye.
“I am also honest with you saying that it’s still not a long shot, but it is a difficult one.
“Being 21 points behind two of the fastest drivers and one of the fastest teams and recovering those 21 points in one weekend requires perfection from our side and probably not optimal weekend or a bad weekend from their side.
“It’s still going to be difficult, but I’ve seen worse things in racing happen before, and we’re going to give it our best shot.”
Carlos Sainz predicts several teams will challenge Ferrari in Abu Dhabi
As Sainz said, Ferrari needs to execute a perfect weekend and see misfortune fall upon McLaren to swing the title in the Scuderia’s favour.
Muddying the waters is a resurgent Mercedes team and a much-improved Red Bull in the hands of Max Verstappen.
Sainz predicts a tough battle between all four teams at the Yas Marina Circuit.
“I think it’s honestly very tight between us, but not only between Ferrari, McLaren, but also Mercedes and Red Bull,” he said.
“I think we are all within a couple of tenths of each other. And depending on the track, depending on the tyre compound we use, depending on the track characteristics, the wind, the conditions, one car will come out on top that weekend.
“Last weekend looked like it was going to be the McLaren. In the end, it was Max. The other weekend, George, the other weekend, me in Mexico, or again, Max in the wet in Brazil.
“It’s almost like it’s so tight across the top four teams that you cannot pick one before a weekend. And I think we’re all waiting to practice to see who suddenly seems the strongest that weekend.”
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