Coulthard Believes Ferrari Could Dismiss Sainz Very Soon If He Doesn’t Deliver

Amidst all the troubles Ferrari have been going through, driver Charles Leclerc has been a ray of hope for the team. He will have a new teammate in McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, come 2021.

However, former Red Bull driver David Coulthard is of the opinion that Sainz will need to hit the ground running from the time of his arrival. He also said that the stopwatch could be a huge determinant in his future at Ferrari.

Coulthard is quoted as saying, “The real battle and competition between them is the stopwatch. And it’s there that they will show who the team leader is.”

“I’ve got to say Charles will have the upper hand initially because he understands the makings of the team and how it all works.”

Ferrari will need Sainz to start matching or outperforming Leclerc, says Coulthard

‘DC’ also believes that for Ferrari to be truly challenging at the front of the grid, they will need both drivers working in tandem. This would mean Sainz getting close to or even surpassing Leclerc’s performances.

“Let’s say we give Carlos half a season, but if he’s not able to then start matching Charles or outperforming him it could be a short time for him at Ferrari.” concluded Coulthard.

Sainz will replace outgoing Vettel at the end of the season, who in turn, moves to Aston Martin himself. So, there will be a great deal of expectations from the young Spaniard at Ferrari.

Sainz-Leclerc could prove to be an effective combination

On paper at least, Ferrari have two relatively young guns capable of giving it their all. Improving racecraft and an eye to execute overtaking moves is what the team will need.

However, most importantly, both drivers will need to adapt to the challenges of the Ferrari car in 2021. A largely unknown entity at this point in time, Sainz will have to adjust quickly and show his best during the winter testing.

Make no mistake, if this works in the shorter term, Ferrari will be pleased with their decision making. They could have a pairing that might just one day deliver race wins and podium finishes again.