Andretti backs Sainz to "get it right" after Miami crash

Sainz, Ferrari, Miami, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

Miami Grand Prix

Andretti backs Sainz to "get it right" after Miami crash

Sainz crashed in second practice to cause the first red flag of the session

Sam Hall

Saturday 7 May 2022 20:55

Former F1 world champion Mario Andretti has backed troubled Carlos Sainz to "get it right" following the Ferrari driver's recent woes.

After standing on the podium in the first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Sainz then crashed in the subsequent two grands prix in Australia and Imola.

In second practice on Friday for this weekend's Miami Grand Prix, Sainz again hit a wall, leading 1978 champion Andretti to declare on Sky Sports F1: “Poor Carlos. That’s not from a lack of trying.

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"Sometimes you just can’t catch a break. You’re trying but he still has to be right on top of it all and the competition doesn’t get any softer.

“His team-mate [Charles Leclerc] is right there and again, I hate to see it, we all do, but he will get it right.”

Miami has run-off, but doesn't lack bite

Like most modern F1 venues, the Miami International Autodrome has sizeable areas of run-off in most areas of the track, with a notable exception being the tight, twisty, technical complex through turns 11 to 16 where Sainz crashed.

Assessing the characteristics of the track, Andretti added: “You know, for a circuit that was built almost as a temporary circuit, I think it still has a lot of run-off space.

"Obviously, these corners are quite quick so he would probably need a little more space than that if you do run-off.

“It’s a quick corner, so if you go off there you’re going to get a bit of the wall.”