'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Carlos Sainz has said that he's not too focussed on the battle with George Russell for P4 in the drivers' championship.
The Ferrari driver is P5 in the championship with 202 points, while Russell is P4 with 207. The DNF in the last race in Suzuka did not help Sainz, as it enabled Russell to surge ahead of him.
Trending
When asked how focused he is on the battle for P4, Carlos Sainz said that he has other priorities. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the US GP in Austin this weekend, he said:
"Fifth, fourth, it doesn't change my life as a racing driver. I only care about obviously winning and having a good season. I know this year hasn't been easy. The setback of Japan also was not ideal, made me lose even more points in this fight."
He continued:
"And yeah, I mean, if I can finish fourth I take fourth, but I would prefer to win a race before the end of the year, even if it doesn't mean I finish fourth. And I think, for us, it's important to try and win, to get the podiums, to get the consistency. Obviously, this would bring P4 to the table, but I'm focusing more on that than on the championship, let's say."
Regarding his expectations for the weekend, Carlos Sainz said that Ferrari have been competitive all season and on all tracks. He added that there's a bigger focus on tire management, where there's improvement needed. He said:
"I think we have a competitive car everywhere we go to. This is a fact, I think. We are fighting for nearly every pole position. Wins are more tricky, because for some reason, Red Bull, in the race, they manage to do a step that we don't have, or that recently we don't have as much. But we're working on that. We're taking these last four races to experiment a bit, to see how we can be a bit more competitive in the race, how we can improve our tyre management."
Max Verstappen has improved a lot - Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz made his F1 debut alongside Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso in 2015. The two drivers were together until Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull at the 2016 F1 Spanish GP.
When asked during the drivers' press conference about how much Verstappen has improved since then, Sainz was complimentary of the Red Bull driver. He claimed that the Dutchman has improved by leaps and bounds over the years, saying:
"For sure. I think eight years in Formula 1 is a lot of years in Formula 1. And since day one of Formula 1 to year eight, you evolve massively. For sure he's evolved in every single area."
He continued:
"There is not one area where you haven't evolved and the way that he's managed to keep doing step by step, improving everything, you know, because there's nothing that we cannot improve in eight years. And it’s fair play to him, and now he's maximising also having a competitive car, which is something that you need in Formula 1 in order to win. If not, you're never going to win."
Meanwhile, heading into the 2022 F1 US GP, Carlos Sainz will face a grid drop this weekend for a PU change.
