F1 News
Alonso recognises Sainz situation at Ferrari: 'When do you win?"
- GPblog.com
Carlos Sainz had a fantastic Ferrari debut in Monaco last weekend. After taking advantage of problems with Valtteri Bottas during the race, he finished an excellent second place. Overall it was a fantastic weekend for Sainz and Ferrari. Fellow countryman Fernando Alonso also noticed.
However, Alonso, ex-driver of the Italian racing stable and current driver of Alpine, does not notice that his compatriot is getting enough respect for his performance. Considering how other drivers are doing at new teams, for the time being, Sainz stands out. Alonso says in an interview with Speedweek.com that he is very happy for Sainz.
"I'm very happy for him that his first part of the season at Ferrari went so well. Ferrari is not yet as strong as Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, but Monaco was an opportunity for the Italians and they made a lot of it."
Alonso recognises Sainz situation at Ferrari
Indeed, Alonso remembers well from his own time at Ferrari how second place is reacted to there. "I have known Carlos for many years and am overjoyed for him after this brilliant race. But I also think back to my own time at Ferrari, when I took nine or ten podiums a season. After a race, there was a real grave mood about finishing second. The only question people asked was: 'When will you win?'"
It also took a long time for Alonso to gain actual respect. "Over the course of my Grand Prix career, I achieved 97 podium finishes in Formula One, and especially at the end of my time at Ferrari, I had the impression that my performance was met with a certain lack of respect." So Sainz will have to be patient for a while and continue to perform well.