Sainz understands 'responsibility' of driving for Ferrari
Carlos Sainz says he is fully aware of the importance of driving for Ferrari and is ready to embrace the responsibility in a "good and positive way".
Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc will form Ferrari's youngest driver line-up since 1968 when young guns Jacky Ickx and Chris Amon raced for the Scuderia.
While only 26, Sainz is on the eve of his seventh season in F1, having honed his skills and accumulated experience with three teams, Toro Rosso, Renault and most recently McLaren.
The task of racing for the most successful team in F1's history, and one surrounded by an aura of prestige, can be a daunting prospect for a young driver, but Sainz insists age is a secondary consideration.
"To be honest I don’t think age on its own is such an important factor," the Spaniard said after his second day of testing at Fiorano.
"If anything, experience in this sport is more valuable than age. Obviously the older you are the more experienced you get, but even that is not a guarantee that you will be faster.
©Ferrari
"I’m only 26 years old but I’ve already done six seasons in Formula 1 and have driven for three different teams before joining Ferrari.
"Charles is 23 years old but he is about to start his fourth season in Formula 1 and his third year with the team, so he knows the car and his way around Maranello perfectly.
"My point is that, despite being the youngest pair of drivers of at the Scuderia in many years, we are not rookies anymore and we understand the importance and responsibility of driving for Ferrari.
"I really look forward to that responsibility in a good and positive way and I’m sure that, together with Charles, we are going to bring motivation, passion and hunger to the team."
©Ferrari
Sainz's move to the House of Maranello has come in the wake of a dismal 2020 campaign, the team's worst since the early seventies. But a massive effort is underway to extract Ferrari from the doldrums although that undertaking will inevitably take time.
But Sainz is confident in Ferrari's ability "to bounce back" given its history, DNA and the motivation of all its team members, starting with himself.
"Every single team goes through difficult moments at some point, it’s part of Formula 1," he commented. "What really matters is the ability to bounce back.
"History shows that teams that won in the past are capable of being competitive once again. Ferrari is the most successful team in the history of our sport and there is a reason behind that.
"If there is a team on the grid that can fight back to the top, it is Ferrari. I have full confidence in the project and, even though the process might take some time, I’m sure the team will eventually return to its winning ways.
"What you can be sure of is that I will give my absolute best to help shorten that process as much as possible."
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