Sainz looks up at Leclerc: 'Can only admire his driving style'

For Carlos Sainz the year started very hopeful, but since his announced contract extension in Melbourne things have not been going so well on the Spaniard's side. Attrition in Australia and Imola followed and also in Barcelona he threatened to drop out. After a spin in the fourth corner he ended up in the gravel trap, although he managed to get out of it again and eventually finished fourth.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo the Ferrari driver looks back on the start of the season. For where he had hoped to fight for the title, he is now in fifth place after six races, 55 points behind leader Max Verstappen. "There has been a combination of misfortunes and mistakes on my part, which also counts," he said.

Sainz admires confidence Leclerc

Sainz recognizes that he did make some mistakes in Melbourne and in Barcelona, which led to expensive points losses. "I think you can see from the on-board cameras and everywhere that I'm still not there with the car compared to last year. I'm not driving naturally," he said. Sainz has been struggling with the Ferrari all season, while Charles Leclerc does get the most out of his red car.

"He is driving at a very high level. He is making some super times, very impressive, staying aggressive in his driving style and I can only admire and in some aspects copy and in others try to put it a little more to my liking to be faster." In Monaco, the Spaniard hopes to repeat the success of 2021, when he finished second behind a dominant Verstappen. He will then have to have the confidence in his Ferrari first, because with the walls right along the track, every mistake is punished harshly.