Carlos Sainz has finally dressed as a Ferrari driver, his first day in Maranello. “As special as you can imagine, that I will not forget it in my whole life,” he said yesterday at the traditional Christmas meeting with the press, this time online. For the first time dressed in red, after making the custom seat in Maranello, to the left of Mattina Binotto, team leader and Charles Leclerc, his partner and with whom he has formed the youngest Ferrari couple since 1968.

Carlos Sainz

Carlos arrived from England to Italy yesterday and spent the day on a “tour” around the factory, getting to know the buildings, where the simulator is, which he will have to burn this winter due to the lack of tests on the track, the wind tunnel , the offices, he had lunch with Charles and Mattia and met his team of engineers, inherited from Sebastian Vettel and led by Riccardo Adami.”I am completely ready and completely motivated, totally fresh for this new challenge and now to recharge the batteries in these few Christmas days” , said the Spaniard, who like Charles, awaits a car, which will be called SF21 , at the height of the Ferrari history. “I will be here very early in January to push and work hard, helping this team to keep moving as quickly as possible in the right direction. I can’t wait to start now.”

There is nothing written in the contract that says that Leclerc is the leader of the team, they are free to fight on the track. ”
Mattia binotto

Beside him Binotto quickly cleared up doubts about the first and second drivers. “There is nothing written in the contract that says that Leclerc is the leader of the team, they are free to fight on the track although it is important that they give us points, but at the beginning of the championship they will have equal opportunities,” he advanced. “Then, our top priority is the constructors’ title, optimizing the points for the team and that interest can prevail, we will have to accept team decisions and only if at the end of the year one has more options than the other will we study how to help him”.

He is a pilot for several years, not for a few, he is a leader to help us, that is the idea of ​​Ferrari ”
Mattia binotto

Carlos will have a test in January with the 2018 car at Fiorano to get used to the controls, the radio, the data analysis, the engine procedures and the tuning of the car. “And above all he will do a lot of simulation because there is a lot of work that can be done there,” says the team leader, who acknowledges that they followed the Spanish from Toro Rosso, from the radio and how he spoke to the precision of his communications and analysis throughout over the years . “We expect Carlos to adapt quickly, he is fast, strong, he has had a great year improving, for example, the qualifications on Saturday, and then in the race it is strong, from the drivers who finish regularly, who improve positions, who contribute to the titles, I hope it helps us to do well “.

The engineer, team leader, does not want to put pressure on him, or rush, “I expect more and more speed, more and more consistency from him, I know it will be difficult at the beginning and I also think that he usually gives his best in the second season, and in the second I hope to see progress compared to the first, “he says. “He will also bring his experience, which is not small because he has been in many different teams, with many work methodologies, engineers, etc., and we will listen to him and also learn from it, he is a great partner and a hard worker, a leader who help us to be stronger since 2021. He is a driver for several years, not for just a few, that is the idea of ​​Ferrari “.