Carlos Sainz: 'I'm not driving naturally'

The Ferrari driver hoped his podium back in Miami would mark the end of his 2022 difficulties. It hasn’t.

My last post explored what was wrong with Carlos Sainz in 2022. More answers have now emerged following his costly mistake in Spain and a “bittersweet” podium in Monaco.

What do you think of when I write ‘Carlos Sainz’ and ‘2022’?

Is it crashes and the costly spins? The often large gap he has to his superstar teammate Charles Leclerc?

Or perhaps the realisation that Sainz is now the only genuine frontrunner yet to grab a race victory in 2022.

While his second place in Monaco secured valuable points, Sainz described it as bittersweet.

He says he could’ve have grabbed his first career win if not for a slow out lap after his pitstop for dry tyres.

What’s going on with Carlos Sainz?

“Unfortunately these things happen around Monaco,” he said. “I’m not going to complain too much. I know that this sport is like that.”

The feeling is likely made worse when you consider the Sainz should have been in the mix during the Spanish Grand Prix the week beforehand. He wasn’t because of a costly spin early in that race.

Sainz careered off into the gravel, thanks to a gust of wind, and it left his car damaged. He limped home to fourth.

Spain and Monaco now represent what could’ve been for Sainz.

With a bit more pace, confidence and a pinch of luck, this piece could easily have been about the rebirth of his 2022 championship tilt, thanks to becoming a double race winner. (That would’ve given him 20 extra points!)

Instead, the reality is that Sainz is 42 (instead of 22) points behind championship leader, Max Verstappen.

So why couldn’t Sainz get himself onto the top step?

As alluded to in my last post, the Spaniard is struggling to adapt to his 2022 car. He has said he is “not very happy” and “still learning a lot”.

Between Spain and Monaco, Sainz told The Race that the Ferrari car is “a bit too pointy for my liking”.

Being “too pointy” means the car has more front-end grip and a looser rear - it likes to oversteer. Whether its something Sainz can overcome will only be known with time.

Leclerc is clearly comfortable, but Sainz by his own admission hasn’t adapted.

“I’m struggling quite a bit to drive this car and to understand how to extract the maximum out of it,” he said.

“I’m not driving naturally.”