28/10/2024
NEWS STORY
With just four more races for the Maranello outfit, Carlos Sainz admits that he wanted to go out in style.
Blisteringly fast on Saturday, though he initially lost the race lead on Sunday, Sainz took a commanding victory that saw Ferrari leapfrog Red Bull in the team standings leaving it just 54 pints down on Red Bull.
At season end he gives up his seat to Lewis Hamilton and heads to Williams where he is unlikely to be challenging for poles or wins anytime soon.
Consequently the Spaniard feels he fully deserved another win with the Prancing Horse, even if it did put his teammate's nose slightly out of joint.
It's just a matter of that I think everyone knew I wanted one more race win with Ferrari. I felt like I also deserved it," said the Spaniard. "I've been driving well all year and I've been pushing flat out, keeping my motivation high even in a difficult circumstance, and wanting to give everything for this team.
"I felt like I drove some really good races and one more I had to win. Eventually, it happened and it had to be in Mexico, in front of my family, which is great," he added.
Indeed, Sainz was watched on by his illustrious father, his mother and other members of the Sainz clan.
"Since I arrived in Mexico, I had a feeling that the win was possible," he said. "I knew my family was coming to see me here this weekend. My mom was going to be present. I knew I hadn't won a race with my mother in front of me.
"My best friends are here, my dad, and I was like 'there might be something cooking this weekend, and I need to make sure I do everything I can to win this race,'" he grinned.
"Even though I made it a bit difficult with the start, I made it stick with Max and I enjoyed that race from then onwards," he admitted.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City here.