Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso started the season at a clear disadvantage compared to their teammates. The crisis caused by the coronavirus led Formula 1 to limit the spending of the teams, which in this 2021 have run with cars very similar to those of the previous campaign. Hence the advantage of Charles Leclerc and Esteban Ocon, they were already made for 2020 cars. On the other hand, the drivers only had a day and a half of preseason to adapt to their new cars, which was a handicap for those who They changed teams. An even greater disadvantage for Fernando Alonso, who was returning to Formula 1 after two years of absence.
” I think you have to take into account the disadvantage at which he will start with respect to the rest of the drivers on the grid , considering that he has not raced in Formula 1 for two years, ” said Marcin Budkowski. “I can understand that for Carlos Sainz or Ricciardo the challenge of the season with a new team will be complicated , because they will have to learn a new working method and will have to interact with unknown engineers, but in Fernando’s case it will be different considering their prolonged absence , “added the CEO of Alpine.
Also at Ferrari, Mattia Binotto, head of the Formula 1 team, warned that Carlos Sainz would have a bad time at the beginning and gave the Madrid native a certain margin: “ 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 ”.
Sainz, face to face with Leclerc
The signing of Carlos Sainz by Ferrari was surprising as to make room for the Spanish in Maranello they decided to do without a four-time world champion like Sebastian Vettel. Many considered that with this movement the team did without a cock to reinforce Leclerc’s leadership. Even so, when questioned about it, Mattia Binotto denied that Carlos Sainz was going to play a squire role: “ 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 he will have equal opportunities ”.
Ferrari has kept his word and has allowed Carlos Sainz to fight face to face with the Monegasque, a wise decision in view of the results. And the thing is that with six races remaining, the Madrilenian has given the team 0.5 points more than his teammate. Although it seems like a negligible difference, Carlos Sainz has been on the podium three times while Leclerc has only done it once.
From a 2-point deficit to a 6-point lead 👀@Max33Verstappen leads after 16 rounds! #TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/bcFJRshYdR
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 10, 2021
Sainz father and the disadvantage of his son
Leclerc did it as second and while Carlos Sainz has been twice third and once second. The Spaniard came close to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix and, ambitious, he did not hesitate to show his discomfort at the end of the race. Carlos Sainz Sr. understood his anger, although he alluded to the disadvantage with which he started with respect to his teammate to give value to his result. “The fact that he wants more wants to say is ambitious. Athletes have to be ambitious. Probably after that bittersweet sensation, as he described it, over time, he will realize that reaching the fifth race with Ferrari with almost no test and continually fighting Leclerc , one of the great talents right now, and ending up in a podium … If that had been told before … “, he said.
Alonso’s points, decisive
As far as Fernando Alonso is concerned, Alpine did not sign him for immediate results. The intention of the French team was to take advantage of their experience to put together a good project and build a winning car for 2022, the year in which the long-awaited change of regulations will come into force.
Although the results were unfavorable compared to his teammate at the beginning of this course, Fernando Alonso has gone from less to more in this course. With six races remaining for the end of the World Championship, the Asturian has added 12 more points than Esteban Ocon , a considerable difference if one takes into account that Alpine leads AlphaTauri by 12 points in the Constructors’ World Championship.
Although being fifth in this classification, and not sixth, can be decisive for the French team for the next season, Fernando Alonso would surely give up some of his points for having savored the victory that Esteban Ocon enjoyed in Hungary. And it is that the only podium harvested by Alpine this season was thanks to the victory of the French rider at the Hungaroring. Even so, this would not have been possible without Fernando Alonso , who managed to retain Lewis Hamilton behind him for ten laps. “ Congratulations to Fernando, I think I also owe the victory to him . Teamwork ”, Esteban Ocon acknowledged after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
