Carlos Sainz will be leaving Ferrari to make room for Lewis Hamilton's arrival for the 2025 Formula 1 season. In less than 12 months, Hamilton will get to compete on behalf of Ferrari in Italy. It's a very unqiue prospect for a Formula 1 driver and Sainz has offered some advice after he made a similar switch for the 2021 season.
Sainz made the switch from McLaren and replaced Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in 2021. The Spanish driver settled quickly and actually beat Leclerc in his first season. Sainz has since won three Grands Prix and secured five pole positions for Ferrari. One of those poles came in front of the Tifosi at Monza in 2023.
What is it like to be a Ferrari driver in Formula 1?
"You learn how to be a Ferrari driver. That is actually something that people don't imagine but you have to know how Ferrari works, how Ferrari is and you also improve your Ferrari driver skills during the four years," Sainz told GPblog and others in the paddock.
Sainz went on to highlight how the Italian Grand Prix weekend is by far the busiest and most unqiue. But it doesn't take all of Sainz's energy from the most important part of the weekend. As busy as this weekend gets, the energy of the Tifosi and the energy of the people and the adrenaline of the weekend carries you. It was the case last year. I remember thinking that I was very busy last year, but I remember being full of energy also. So it's something that takes care of itself almost," he added.
"I'm actually trying to do is try to embrace the busyness of the weekend, but also how hectic it is, how many Tifosi you come across and how much time you spend with them and signing and receiving their support to actually give you the energy and enjoy the moment. It's a lot busier, but you can see it both ways. ‘Oh, so busy. I don't have time for myself’. Or you can see it in a positive way, which is this is a one life time opportunity that I've been lucky enough to do it for four years. Try and enjoy it. Embrace it."
