The watching world discovered what the 2024 season meant for Carlos Sainz Jnr when Ferrari made its bombshell announcement that he would lose his seat to Lewis Hamilton on the finish of the 12 months. Already a a number of race winner, Sainz was now on the motive force market.
Sainz made a robust begin to this significant 12 months. He began the season on the rostrum with solely the dominant Crimson Bulls forward of him. After an appendectomy compelled him to overlook spherical two, Sainz returned in fashion to win the Australian Grand Prix. In Japan he once more accomplished the rostrum behind the Crimson Bull drivers.
He wasn’t capable of maintain that type towards a crew mate of Charles Leclerc’s high quality. Sainz adopted Leclerc dwelling in Shanghai, Miami (the place he was penalised for colliding with Oscar Piastri) and Imola. Whereas Leclerc received in Monaco, Sainz was extremely lucky to achieve the rostrum, because the crimson flag on the primary lap erased the results of one other tangle with Piastri (he loved an analogous get-out-of-jail-free card after crashing in qualifying at Shanghai).
At occasions it felt just like the stress of the motive force market state of affairs was taking a toll on Sainz, significantly in his eagerness to place one over Leclerc. The pair had a couple of run-ins over the course of the 12 months, notably in Spain and Las Vegas, although within the latter case Ferrari’s administration of their drivers was questionable.
Carlos Sainz Jnr
Finest
Worst
GP begin
1
20
GP end
1 (x2)
18
Factors
290
In the course of the center a part of the season, when Ferrari briefly misplaced their manner with the SF-24, Leclerc often confirmed Sainz the best way. Nonetheless Sainz picked up an opportunistic third place in Austria and confirmed nice really feel for the altering situations at Silverstone. The identical couldn’t be stated for his performances within the rain-hit races in Canada and Brazil, which had been simply his weakest weekends of the 12 months.
Sainz ended the season in higher form. He ought to have joined Leclerc on the rostrum in Baku the place he went out in a late collision with Sergio Perez, then accomplished a Ferrari one-two in Austin. He grabbed his likelihood to take a trendy last win for Ferrari in Mexico, and pushed Lando Norris onerous within the season finale as Ferrari fell brief of their bid to beat McLaren to the constructors’ title.
It could be a while earlier than Sainz could have a automobile that enables him to struggle on the sharp finish once more. However his 2024 efficiency ought to depart nobody in any doubt that he deserves one.
RaceFans’ driver rankings are based mostly partly on the scores awarded to drivers for his or her performances in every spherical in addition to different components.
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