Carlos Sainz Wins Ferrari Fans’ Hearts With Touching Gesture After F1 Test

Carlos Sainz didn’t just test the SF71H car on his first day for Ferrari, he also had time to greet a few fans when his testing was done for the day.

Sainz was testing the car at the Fiorano circuit near Maranello. This circuit is used for testing purposes and is a frequently visited site by the ‘Tifosi’. 

After he finished testing at 4PM local time, the Spaniard hopped aboard a small fire truck. He instructed the truck to go to the section of the track where these fans were present.

This prompted the fan in question, to put up a touching post on social media. Carlos Sainz replied to this post on Twitter and said that he loved sharing his first day at Ferrari with the fans. 

Sainz signed with Scuderia Ferrari for a 2-year contract starting this season. He will partner Monegasque wunderkind, Charles Leclerc, for two seasons. He will want to give Leclerc proper competition to prove that he won’t be relegated to a second driver. 

Sainz will be looking to build on his 2 consecutive 6th place finishes in the Drivers Championship. Sainz had his highest points tally of his career, finishing with 105 points last season.

He also had his maiden appearance on the podium, finishing 2nd in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He finished above both the Ferrari drivers in the Drivers’ standings. Sainz and Lando Norris’ performances led to McLaren finishing as the best of the rest in 3rd. 

Ferrari would be looking to bounce back from a shocker of a season. The 2020 season saw them finish a pitiful 7th in the Constructors’ Championship. Their tally of 131 points was only 6 points more than Sergio Perez’s tally of 125 points.

Ferrari saw both cars retire a total of 6 times over the course of the season. Sebastian Vettel barely finished in the points whenever he crossed the checkered flag. 

Ferrari will probably be focusing on development for the 2022 season. So, there may not be a sizable change in fortunes this season. The team will be hoping that both drivers show enough potential this season, which allows them to challenge next year.

Team Principal Mattia Binotto will also be under pressure to ensure that the upcoming season is not a drag for the ‘Tifosi’.