“An absolute top tier driver” – Former F1 driver says Ferrari might have to re-evaluate Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz had a strong debut year with Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 standing at fifth in the drivers’ standings.

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer thinks that Ferrari may have to re-evaluate its assessment of Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard delivered a stupendous performance throughout the 2021 season and even outscored his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Palmer said that he was impressed by Sainz and how he adapted to the Scuderia. He believes that the Spaniard was the most-improved driver of the year. The 27-year-old finished fifth in the 2021 drivers’ championship while his teammate Charles Leclerc stood at seventh.

The Spaniard has been in the top six in the standings for the last three years. In his column for Formula1.com, Palmer said, “on the face of it, the fact that Sainz and [Lando] Norris would both jump out as improved drivers this year demonstrates that they were probably underrated as McLaren teammates, at least by me.”

“But I do think Sainz has stepped up at Ferrari wonderfully. With the culmination being his podium in Abu Dhabi to take him to the best of the rest in the standings. He became the first driver to outscore Charles Leclerc as a teammate in any car racing series.”

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Carlos Sainz finished fast and improved well

At the beginning of the 2021 season, a lot of drivers changed their teams and it seemed like they would struggle in the new environment. Drivers like Daniel Ricciardo, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso had a difficult start to the year.

Carlos Sainz fell in the same category but he comparatively came out as the quickest one of the group to turn his fortune around. In the latter half of the season, Sainz stormed through the track and finished fifth in the championship.

Considering all these points, Palmer thinks that Ferrari might have to rethink Sainz’s role in the team. “When Ferrari signed him early in 2020, it seemed he would be a great second fiddle to Leclerc, but perhaps they might just be re-evaluating that assessment now,” he said.

I think this year he has shown the potential to be an absolute top tier driver,” he further added.

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