Carlos Sainz coy on championship chances despite 'fastest driver' claim

Sam Hall
Wednesday 22 June 2022 17:00 - Updated: 17:08

Carlos Sainz claims he is not thinking about the championship despite believing that he is finally getting to grips with the Ferrari F1-75.

The Spaniard has endured a difficult start to the F1 season compared to team-mate Charles Leclerc but in Canada, he put in his best display of the year and pushed Max Verstappen all the way.

Although Sainz was unable to find a way past, the Ferrari driver boldly proclaimed himself to have been the fastest man on the track on Sunday.

Asked if this turn of pace has sparked confidence that he can join the title fight with Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, Sainz explained: "Well, I hope so.

"But as I said a few races ago, I want to take it a bit more race by race, you know, not thinking too much about the championship or anything like that.

"I really want to focus on getting to a track and see if I can get myself in a good window of performance and comfort inside the car.

"I think this weekend I did that, right since FP1 I looked very quick, both in qualifying and race pace."

Sainz lacked fear in Canada chase

Sainz has been unable to match the race-pace of team-mate Leclerc on numerous occasions this year, something that is reflected in his championship standing - fifth and trailing points leader Verstappen by 73.

But in Canada, Sainz felt that some of the changes made by the Scuderia had pushed the car in a direction more to his liking.

"In the race there, I was pushing flat out without any fear of losing the car, like I had, for example, in Barcelona.

"And also, [there is] some good progress being made.

"We’ve changed a few of things on the car to try and make them - to make it a bit more to my liking, and they seem to be working.

"But at the same time, I think I need more circuits, I need more different kinds of corners to have a proper feel for that."

Additional reporting by Ian Parkes