As Max Verstappen celebrated his fourth consecutive world title, Carlos Sainz finished on the podium in Las Vegas. The Spaniard only had to yield to the two Mercedes drivers. His teammate Charles Leclerc followed in P4. It was a great result for both Ferrari and Sainz, who knew he had extracted the maximum from his car that day.
“I had secretly hoped to be a bit faster today,” Carlos Sainz sighed after the race in Las Vegas. “Unfortunately, this was simply the best we could do. Considering everything that went wrong last year, I should count myself lucky to be on the podium today.” Last year, Sainz received a grid penalty because he damaged his car during free practice. He could do little about it, as his vehicle was hit by a dislodged manhole cover.
“The battles with Charles Leclerc were also very good, we are always very close to each other,” the Spaniard continued. “However, I think there was nothing more in it today. P3 and P4 was really the maximum.” The drivers’ title may have been decided, but nothing has been settled in the constructors’ championship. As Ferrari scored good points in Las Vegas, it only further closes the gap on McLaren. With two more races on the calendar, including a sprint race in Qatar, the Italians can still claim prizes this year.
