“I wouldn’t be the driver I am” without Sainz

Now that the 2024 season is over, several teams have had to say goodbye to drivers who were taking on new horizons and hello to their new recruits. Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen said goodbye to Haas, Esteban Ocon to Alpine, Franco Colapinto to Williams, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu to Stake F1, Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes and Carlos Sainz to Ferrari.

Charles Leclerc therefore ran his last race alongside Sainz in what could have been the season of deliverance for the Italian team. However, it was McLaren who won the constructors' title this season, only 14 points ahead of the Scuderia.

On the occasion of his last press conference as a Ferrari driver after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz was accompanied by two of his former teammates. Lando Norris, with whom he shared the McLaren garage from 2019 to 2020, and Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque took the opportunity to highlight the qualities of the Spaniard and how much he had played a role in Ferrari's fight for the constructors' championship in 2024 and 2022. He also explained how these many years spent alongside Sainz had made him progress as a pilot.

“I think Lando and I are probably the two best people to talk about [des capacités de Sainz]because we shared the same team as Carlos for several years”said Leclerc. “And I can tell you that Carlos is incredibly talented. He has helped me improve in many areas, with his work ethic, with his talent, with everything that he brings. He is an incredible teammate .”

“And I think that if today we have taken such a step forward in one year and in these four years, it is thanks to Carlos. He was extremely fast. […] He will bring a lot to Williams, because he is very sensitive to every little change and every little feeling there is in the car. I'm pretty sure that by tomorrow they will have a lot of valuable information that will help them for next year. But yeah, I’m definitely going to miss the fights.”

The two drivers were not always the best of friends and several heated moments sometimes shook their relationship, such as Leclerc's angry radio at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. However, as the Monegasque explains, these are things that we often see between teammates, moments which have ultimately never altered the respect they have for each other.

“We had some heated moments on track, but that was only because we were fighting so close together and because he was pushing me throughout the races”he said. “And it was an absolute pleasure. And of course, sometimes, in the moment, there was frustration. But I'm sure that, and in fact already now, I look back on those moments with a lot of positive memories. And I wouldn't be the driver I am today if he hadn't been my teammate for the last four years.”

“So yes, it was a great pleasure and it was four years that I will remember in the most positive way. I wish him the best. But like I said, I have no doubt that he will return to the top of the grid, whether with Williams through his contribution or with someone else. But I think everyone knows that. before he comes back [se battre pour les premières positions]”