Carlos Sainz thinks P2 at 2022 F1 Monaco GP 'is a decent position to start' to have a 'pretty good chance' of winning

Carlos Sainz said that he was satisfied with his starting position for the 2022 Monaco GP after missing out on a potential top spot to Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

The Spaniard failed to improve on his second lap after crashing into the Red Bull of Sergio Perez at the tail end of Q3 and will line up second on the grid alongside Leclerc for the race.

Speaking after qualifying, he said:

“In Q3, without the Mercedes in front, had a strong chance of improving a lot the lap but it’s how it is. It’s a shame because, it’s two years in a row that this happens, but at the same time is a decent position to start and it’s a good day for the team.”

H further said:

“This keeps happening in Monaco. Next time we will try and nail Q3 run a bit more.”

The Ferrari driver was frustrated with his Q3 performance and felt that he had more pace within the car that he was unable to properly extract. On his first run in Q3, he felt he was disturbed by the dirty air of the two Mercedes in front of him, making him lose crucial lap time in the middle sector.

He then failed to complete his second Q3 attempt for the second year in a row in Monaco after Sergio Perez crashed into the barriers at the tunnel's entrance, bringing out the yellow flags. Sainz claimed that he could not see the yellow flags in time and hence, ended up crashing into Perez.

Heading into the race, the 27-year-old driver is confident that a better result awaits him and has not ruled out the possibility of taking his first career victory in Monaco. Furthermore, when asked whether he preferred a wet or dry race, he said he did not care either way.

He said:

“I don’t mind.”

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Carlos Sainz more comfortable with his Ferrari at the Monaco GP compared to previous races

Carlos Sainz said he is much more comfortable with the Ferrari F1-75 around Monaco compared to all the previous venues. He felt that the comfort within the cockpit boded well for the race and he hoped to secure a decent result.

Speaking after qualifying, he said:

“I felt more comfortable with the car. Maybe it’s just a feature of the track, that I’ve always been good around Monaco; I’ve always been quick around here.”

He further said:

“The car setup is always very different in Monaco to what it is for the rest of the season. So, it might be track specific, it might not. What is true is that I’ve been better and more comfortable this weekend.”

Carlos Sainz needs a good result this weekend to put his recent struggles behind him. The Spaniard is currently sitting in P6 in the Driver Standings with just 65 points while his teammate is engaged in a fierce battle for the title with Max Verstappen.