After poor qualifying results in an underwhelming race in Imola, Carlos Sainz swallows bitter pill

Despite securing a top-five finish at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz expressed his displeasure with his perfomance on race day. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix concluded with a dramatic qualifying session and an equally thrilling race.

With the GP being Ferrari's home race and expectations running high, Carlos Sainz expressed his disappointment over his performance in a post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, stating:

"Staying out didn't pay off because I got undercut by Oscar. The pace wasn't great today which I'm not happy with. In general, things didn't go well which at a home race I'm not happy with. But I'm sure we can turn it around for Monaco and find a couple of issues that were holding us back and we will be back on the pace."

When asked whether the upgrades made any difference in the race, the Spaniard said:

"From my side, no, because I think something was not there today but with Charles it looks like everything went as expected and the race pace was good. It's all about who starts in front, so we need to find ways to start further in front."

The three-time race winner had seemed hopeful with the upgrades going into the race but dismissed the effectiveness of the upgrades soon after.

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Carlos Sainz and his next step into the 2025 Formula 1 season

F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain - Previews

News of Lewis Hamilton's departure from Mercedes-AMG for Ferrari sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 community. The move marked a significant shift for the British driver, leaving the team with which he secured countless wins and titles behind.

With the dust settled on Hamilton's move, all eyes turn to Carlos Sainz's next chapter. Sainz's impressive performance with Ferrari undoubtedly makes him an asset for any team on the grid.

As the Formula 1 season progresses into the second half, Sainz remains uncommitted to a team. With Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull reportedly at the top of Sainz's list, former World Champion Jenson Button shared his thoughts on the driver with Sky Sports, stating:

"You know, he’s in a position in his career where he’s been around for a little while now, and he’s the only other person to win in the last 23 races apart from Max. So I think he has to take risks, but I think waiting it out and maybe getting a Red Bull seat or maybe getting a Mercedes seat is the direction he needs to take."

Hailing from a family of accomplished racers, with his father being a Dakar rally winner, Carlos Sainz is no stranger to tricky situations like this one. At 5th place on the driver standings and with Ferrari securing a second place in the constructors championship, it's no suprise that the smooth operator will be missed in red for the 2025 season.