The 2022 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix was to be the stage in which Carlos Sainz took a step forward after starring in an accident in the last race in Japan, where he lost control of his car on the first lap when he suffered aquaplaning in the exit of the hairpin towards Spoon curve. The Spaniard saw his teammate Charles Leclerc give up his seat to rookie Robert Shwartzman in the first free practice session, while in the second they had to put the Pirelli prototype tires, in addition to the Monegasque receiving a ten-position penalty for changing components of your power unit.
With these ingredients, the man from Madrid went out to the Circuit of the Americas with the intention of taking first place in the standings, but it would not be easy with a Max Verstappen who beat the two cars from Maranello in the last practice on Saturday.
In the early stages of the decisive moment, Sainz had no problem passing the two cuts in which the slowest were eliminated, and in Q3 he tried to give his best.
With a lap that served him to be the fastest of the day and take the third pole position of his career, all of them achieved with Ferrari this season. The man from Madrid set the fastest time on his last attempt and was very happy to be able to defend first place in Sunday’s race.
“It’s been fun, really fun, but complicated by how the wind has been,” he said of his final round spin. “There were spells where every corner was an adventure with these cars because you don’t know how much grip you’re going to have or what to expect.
“I was able to make a good lap without making any mistakes and a pole position that I had been waiting for a long time,” acknowledged the Spaniard. “I’ve been very close many times in other dry qualifying, but it didn’t quite get there.”
Asked what he expected from Sunday’s test , Carlos Sainz said: “I’m not going to lie, the Red Bulls are favourites, they have better race pace, and they usually catch up with us because Max [Verstappen] does a great job. “.
“The Red Bull has a great car for the race, but I have shown enough to be ahead tomorrow and try to win, which will be an incredible way to start these last four grands prix,” said the driver from Madrid after taking pole position. .
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