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Carlos Sainz’s father has expressed his pride and satisfaction after the Ferrari driver charged to a pole position and victory double at the Mexico City Grand Prix – ticking the box of winning again before switching to Williams in 2025.
Sainz, who will be replaced at the Scuderia by Lewis Hamilton next season, claimed the sixth pole and fourth triumph of his F1 career with an imperious weekend-long display around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
READ MORE: ‘I really wanted this’ – Sainz overjoyed as he achieves goal of ‘one more win’ before Ferrari exit with Mexico masterclass
Taking a break from the post-race celebrations, Sainz Sr. told F1.com: “For me, obviously, I’m super happy about the weekend. Not only [in the race] where the points are given, but he was also strong in qualifying.
“I think he was a bit unlucky in Austin (having finished second to team mate Charles Leclerc after technical issues), but he was super fast there, so I’m very happy for these last couple of races – it’s looking like an interesting end of the championship.”
Asked what’s behind his son’s recent performances, and whether it’s down to him feeling more comfortable in an upgraded Ferrari machine, the two-time winner of the World Rally Championship added: “I know when he’s confident, he can be super quick.
“Now he’s probably very confident, or more confident, with the car, and this is giving him the possibility to push close to the limit – that’s giving the result like quali or the race [in Mexico].”
Sainz Jr. had said several times over the last few weeks that winning another race for Ferrari was “at the top of my list” ahead of his move to Williams for 2025.
READ MORE: Vasseur hails ‘perfect weekend’ from Sainz but bemoans ‘idiots’ that hampered Leclerc
With that goal achieved, and with four Grands Prix still to come this season, Sainz Sr. smiled: “You will need to ask him, but probably I know the answer that he will like now to win another one! But I’m sure he will try to enjoy this one first.”
Sainz Jr. himself admitted the Mexico City victory tasted even sweeter given that not only his father, but also his mother, watched on from the paddock – along with his partner and plenty of friends.
“I felt like this weekend was going to be a very good opportunity to win the race,” he said during the post-race press conference. “I had a very good feeling coming into the weekend and I was also very determined to win it. I’ve been focused and been on it all weekend.
“On top of that, I knew my family was coming, and my best friends, my girlfriend. I said maybe destiny has something ready for me, that my maybe last win with Ferrari can come in front of them with all the support that I had from them all this year.”
He added: “It was extremely emotional. I did shed a tear in the Spanish anthem. For sure it’s one of the best moments in my career. My mum had never been present on a race win with me, and the fact that she was coming here this weekend, I wanted really to win a race in front of her.
READ MORE: 5 Winners and 5 Losers from Mexico City – Who got the fiesta started at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez?
“The way the whole weekend planned out, it was just perfect. Losing [out] at the start and then having to fight back with Max [Verstappen] just made everything a bit more tricky, and it probably makes it taste even better because I had to work hard for it. To do this weekend in front of all of them was incredible.”
Sainz’s win, combined with team mate Leclerc’s run to the podium, saw Ferrari leapfrog Red Bull for second in the constructors’ standings – championship leaders McLaren now only 29 points up the road.
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