Sainz was unofficially hired to be Ferrari’s second option after Leclerc, but his performances have made that dynamic a little more complicated than many were expecting… Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images
Some would argue that he succeeded given that his third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale meant he jumped ahead of Leclerc in the points, finishing fifth in the world championship. It was an impressive achievement, although points can sometimes be an unreliable witness and Leclerc retained a slender advantage on the key performance metrics over the season.
Perhaps the most eyecatching facet of Sainz’s year was his qualifying performance. Leclerc is one of the strongest qualifiers in F1, capable of consistently delivering laps right on the limit, often exhibiting astonishing traction-sensing skills along the way – an essential ability given that the rear tires tend to overheat over a push lap. And yet Sainz wasn’t far off – just over 0.1% on average. What’s more, he outpaced Leclerc in qualifying in six of the last eight races. Even for those backing Sainz to thrive at Ferrari, that was surprising.
“Particularly this last six or seven races, I feel like I got the best out of the car in pretty much every quali,” said Sainz. “This is something I managed to do at McLaren very often, and it was a bit of a lesson to be pushed in this last third of the season.
“I’ve been up against very strong qualifers my whole career, with Max [Verstappen], Lando [Norris] and now Charles. I never felt I have anything to lose against him, and I think in this last third I’m doing what I did in the McLaren and the Toro Rosso.”
It has been hard work. Sainz has generally been a driver who is not prone to crashing, yet he did have a number of impacts during the season as he battled to get to Leclerc’s level. Although he also had a difficult time in the penultimate qualifying session of the season in Jeddah, spinning and brushing the wall with his rear wing endplate in Q2, he appeared to have got on top of the car by the final phase of the season. That was doubtless a result of pushing himself hard.
He also showed a knack for being particularly strong in the quicker corners, as the two Ferrari drivers often found very different ways to string together very similar lap times. That’s further evidence that, as well as learning from Leclerc’s skills, Sainz has also been able to go his own way. But he knew this was going to be a challenge.
“Not straight away after no winter testing and the challenges you have to adapt to in the first half of the season,” said Sainz of his expectations of getting to Leclerc’s level in qualifying on Saturday evening in Abu Dhabi. “But I’m happy to see during the last third, basically I’m missing nothing in quali.
Sainz gave Ferrari an early Christmas gift with a podium at Abu Dhabi, which helped him seal fifth in the points. Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
“I can put the laps together when they matter, as well. That’s why Jeddah was so painful, because I spun when I had the pace to be easily in the top five. Today, I calmed myself down, reacted well, did a strong lap in Q2, went into Q3 and put it there [fifth].”
The races were always expected to be Sainz’s strong point and generally they went well, but he only finished ahead of Leclerc six times in the 20 races they both finished – with three of those in the second half of the campaign. While Sainz did occasionally show a better knack for tire management, particularly at front-limited tracks where Ferrari could struggle in that regard, especially early in the year, Leclerc’s race performances were also very effective.
Sainz did lead the way on the podium count with four appearances, including a second place at Monaco – where he was a pole position threat before Leclerc’s shunt ruined everyone’s last runs and gave him one of his two pole positions in 2021 – but often that was just down to circumstances. Leclerc had six fourth places, which could easily have turned to podiums through external circumstances.
So while the points positions flattered Sainz very slightly, the trajectory of his season was superb. This will make the battle between the pair of them fascinating in 2022, with Sainz already roughly at equal number one level and Leclerc doubtless determined to reassert himself. But for all that rivalry, they have worked well together and also bring complementary skills to the team given they have varying strengths and weaknesses.
But what’s essential for Sainz is the impression he’s made off-track. He’s well-liked and held in high regard, and the quality of his feedback and technical knowledge means he’s a loud voice when it comes to set-up and car development. Leclerc had got used to being the focal point, but Sainz is now very well-established in that regard. Indeed, Leclerc’s almost preternatural car control means that he does sometimes find it almost
too easy to drive around limitations. That doesn’t mean he has no idea what the car is doing – far from it – but it is an area where Sainz potentially has an advantage.
All of this means that Sainz has made himself an indispensable part of the Ferrari team alongside Leclerc. That partnership has helped Ferrari achieve its objective of third in the constructors’ championship this season, and promises much for the future.
The big test will come if and when Ferrari re-emerges as a potential title-winning force. Because if this season has taught us anything, it’s that both Leclerc and Sainz see themselves as the driver to fight for that title.
It’s tantalizingly poised for next year, and all because Sainz has proved himself to be far more than just a good all-round wingman, and a driver whose knack for continually improving himself means he goes into 2022 in as good a position as he could hope to have been after just one year at Ferrari against Leclerc.