Carlos Sainz: "By being constant you can dream of the World Cup"

"I know how to win races but with six or seven retirements the points go away and you get unstuck"

On the arrival of Fred Vasseur as the new team manager: "You have to give him time because Ferrari is a giant, I know he's going to do well"

LA CORUÑA, 14 Dec. (EUROPE PRESS) -

The Spanish Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) assured that he knows how to learn quickly from things and that from the 2022 World Cup and its ups and downs he will take positive things to improve and, in his opinion, be able to "dream" of winning the 2023 World Cup if he manages to be as constant as it was in past seasons.

"The purpose of fighting for the World Cup is to be regular, not just win races. I know how races are won and I will try to do it more, but above all you have to be regular. With six or seven retirements the points that take you away from the World Cup go away, although Verstappen and Red Bull were superior throughout the season. But being the constant Carlos of other seasons, you can dream," he assured the media.

Sainz sees, at the same time, "near and far" being able to win that dream title. "I see winning close and at the same time far away. Close because I am in one of the best teams and far away because there is an increasing level of riders on the grid. I am going to put the intention and desire to improve as a rider, and the The desire to improve as a team will be there. It is knowing how to take advantage of things", he acknowledged during his visit, in La Coruña, to MEGA (Museo Estrella Galicia).

"In 2022 I have had a competitive car to win pole positions and races and it has taught me how to compete up front. I learn quickly, I know how to bring out the positive and negative things. Surely next year I will be able to take advantage of it and be a better driver", he predicted in this sense.

Sainz assessed last season positively, but with nuances that can help him improve. "There are many good things from this season that I will remember, like my first victory and pole position. But I also had two consecutive retirements when the car was better. Or the end of the season, when I was going fast but the car was not ready to win. There were high peaks and low peaks. The goal is to have a more linear season, without so many low peaks or dropouts, and see where it takes me," he said.

To go forward, Ferrari relies on a new team boss; Fred Vasseur. "It is a change that we hope will be for the better. Whenever a new person arrives there is an extra motivation to do well, the team will try to take a step forward. You have to give Fred time because Ferrari is a giant, he has to have time to learn. Ferrari is very big and time is needed", he stressed.

"But they have spoken to me very well about him, in his time at Renault he wanted to sign me and we had conversations. Yesterday I called him and had a first contact, I know he will do well," said the Madrid driver, who celebrated that the World Cup get up to 23 or 24 races. "It's the sport that I've been in love with since I was little, and competing for Ferrari with 'tiffosi' everywhere, it's impossible not to like it and I enjoy it like the first day," he was honest.

Sainz went with the MotoGP rider Marc Márquez -eight times world champion- to MEGA, the Museum of their common sponsor Estrella Galicia in La Coruña (Galicia), where they shared their impressions with the press before a visit and special day together with the CEO of the company, Ignacio Rivera, and his family.

"I consider myself very lucky to have had the support of Estrella Galicia since 2013. They trusted me when I was nobody and it was not known if I would make it to F1. Now we fulfill the dream of driving for Ferrari together. It is something unique that goes further beyond coming to mere sponsorship. I wanted to come here, and it's not something that happens with all sponsors", he commented on his sponsorship - which goes beyond that - with Estrella Galicia 0,0.

For his part, the CEO of the beer company, Ignacio Rivera, assured that he continues to dream of seeing Carlos Sainz champion. "I think Carlos has matured a lot and is in one of the best teams. I am sure that if it is not in 2023, it will be in 2024 that Carlos will be there and then it is the luck of what happens. I am sure that we will comply the dream of winning the F1 World Cup and I will put all the beer in the world", he promised.

"MEGA is our essence, our spirit. We want to be the most loved beer, not the most sold. And here at the museum you understand why we like to do things differently. Our essence is lived here and it is our Cathedral, our point of pilgrimage "He commented on the company's flagship project, a museum where, in part, there is a space dedicated to the engine, Carlos Sainz and Marc Márquez.