Sainz relieved to complete F1 Mexican GP after Japan, US first-lap exits
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz says he was relieved to complete a Formula 1 race in Mexico after the frustrations of his first-lap retirements in Japan and the USA.
However the Spaniard was left frustrated by a lack of pace after he drove a lonely race from fifth on the grid to fifth at the flag, finishing 58 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen, and clear of team- mate Charles Leclerc.
From the start of the weekend it was apparent that Ferrari faced compromises on power unit performance at the high altitude circuit, and the team was left struggling behind both Red Bull and Mercedes.
"I think I drove a pretty good race, but when you see the distance to the leader, there was not much more in it,” said Sainz when asked by Autosportm about his afternoon.
“We know the compromises we had to take for this weekend, we knew going into the race that we were going to be slow.
“But yeah, we maximised the points that the car could take today, and at least in a positive note we didn't lose too much, and now we can focus on Brazil and Abu Dhabi where we expect to be back in the pace."
Sainz did not want to elaborate on those power unit compromises, and instead wished to only focus on the positive aspects of his race.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari F1-75, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“From my side it's a technical thing that I prefer not to comment too much," he said.
“I'd prefer to focus on the positives that I know it was a good race for me, and finally without doing a race in a month, to be back in the car and to do a strong race, good pace, it was at least something positive."
He added: “The altitude sometimes here can be tough, but I think I drove a pretty good race. For once I was very quick, and unfortunately we were one minute off the pace."
After a disappointing qualifying Sainz had suggested that the car would be better on high fuel in the race, but his final verdict was mixed.
"Handling yes, pace no. Handling I was comfortable, I could do consistent lap times, decent tyre management, but we were just slow. Unfortunately, we didn't pick up any pace compared to quali."
Related video
The type of F1 world champion record-breaker Verstappen has proved to be in 2022
Norris' Mexico F1 strategy "a mistake" relative to McLaren team-mate Ricciardo
Tanak scores first Puma win in preparation for WRC Rally Sweden
Ott Tanak claimed his first victory driving an M-Sport Ford Puma after winning the Otepaa Winter Rally in preparation for next week’s World Rally Championship round in Sweden.
Ranking the worst Formula 1 cars to win a grand prix
Cars that rarely looked like contenders for victory have occasionally slipped through the net to become winners of world championship Formula 1 races. But which was the worst of the bunch?
Schumacher radio criticism highlighted F1 privacy change for Russell
George Russell says that the way an off-the-cuff radio remark criticising Mick Schumacher last year became a big deal shows how he is more under the spotlight in Formula 1.
Newgarden impressed by Chevrolet on IndyCar's new renewable fuel
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden says he’s been impressed with the drivability of his Chevrolet engine following the switch to renewable fuel and has seen no loss in performance.
How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1
Formula 1’s transformation into a global sport meant the gradual extinction for a small team determined to stay true to its low-budget roots. But Tyrrell would eventually be reborn as a world-beating outfit again, explains MAURICE HAMILTON, albeit in different colours…
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.