Carlos Sainz: "Fourth place was the goal after losing so much time with Hamilton"

MADRID, 20 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish driver Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) has assured that the fourth place in which he finished the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last race of the 2022 Formula 1 World Cup, was "the real objective" this Sunday, especially after "having lost so much time" with the British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) in the first section of the test.

"It's been quite a tough race, especially at the beginning with the Mercedes, I lost quite a bit of time. First Hamilton did the trick last year by skipping the chicane when I had passed him, putting me back in position, taking the DRS, passing me again... There I lost five or six seconds of the race that cost me a lot," he said in a statement to DAZN after the race.

In this sense, the man from Madrid explained that this wear and tear has made fourth place the best to aspire to. "Then I was able to pick up my rhythm, I had to go to two stops because of having lost so much time. From there I was able to finish fourth, which was more or less the goal after a rather bad start", he indicated.

In another order of things, he was satisfied that Ferrari was able to tie the runners-up of Drivers, which was won by the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, and of Constructors. "The objective was to finish second in the Constructors and second in the Drivers and we have achieved it, as a team we have to be happy", he stated.

"I'm looking forward to next year, because this second half of the season I've been much more comfortable and much faster. I think we can work on the base I have now to start next year strong. It will be a different car and we will try to put the car to my liking from the beginning and start the season well", he concluded.