Carlos Sainz will be racing for the last time for Ferrari in Abu Dhabi until fate intertwines the two sides once again. But before his departure, Sainz has an important task— winning the Constructors’ Title for Ferrari.
The Prancing Horse has waited over 16 years to taste any title success in F1, and they still have a huge mountain to climb. McLaren leads the race for the title by 21 points, and in one last race, Ferrari has to bridge that gap.
Sainz accepts the difficulty of the task, but he is ready to give “absolute perfection” to make Ferrari world champions again. “Leaving Ferrari with the Constructors’ title would be everything to me. It would be the best way to say goodbye to what has been my home for four years,” said Sainz.
Sainz: “….still a difficult feat because we are 21 points behind two of the fastest drivers and one of the fastest teams. Recovering 21 in just one weekend requires absolute perfection from us and a less than optimal, if not negative, weekend from them.”
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Sainz believes that it will be the “best farewell” on his part. The Spaniard doesn’t believe it’s an impossible task, considering Ferrari has gained on McLaren dramatically in the past few races. But at the same time, he agrees it will be a tough task.
“It’s difficult but I’ve also seen more unlikely things happen in racing in the past, so we’ll try to the end,” Sainz added. On the other hand, this could be the last chance for Sainz to be on the podium for some time ahead, as at his next destination at Williams, gaining a point will be no less than having a podium.
Sainz’s last dance as a big dog
Ever since Sainz joined Ferrari, he has only seen progress in his accomplishments. But that could take a back seat, at least for 2025, as his new team Williams isn’t in the same league as Ferrari.
Sainz even felt dejected when no top team came for his pursuit despite vacant seats available on the grid. He still had early options from Williams and Audi, but he delayed joining either of them to get an offer from Mercedes or Red Bull.
Ultimately, he chose Williams, but it’s been reported that he has a performative clause that may get triggered in 2026. However, Williams has some solid aspirations that can get real in 2026.
Williams boss James Vowles has declared his team’s intentions to compete for wins in 2026, once the new regulations come in. And F1’s past history suggests that new regulations are like a game of roulette, as any team can come up and be a force to be reckoned with.
