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“As was expected”: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has his personal sponsor’s logo covered during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"As was expected": Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has his personal sponsor's logo covered during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s personal sponsor ‘Estrella Galicia’s’ logo on his helmet had to be covered during the Saudi Arabian GP.

Estrella Galicia has been a sponsor for Carlos Sainz in Formula 1 for many years now. It is a brand of beer that is manufactured by ‘Hijos de Rivera’, a Spanish brewery located in Galicia.

The Madrid born driver always races with their logo on his helmet and his halo device. We saw him use it when he raced for Renault, McLaren and in all previous races with Ferrari.

However, it had to be censored during Friday’s practice sessions at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia. Endorsing them in any way or form is strictly against the law.

The cameras on his car showed the part of his helmet containing the logo blacked out.

Also read: Valtteri Bottas vows to keep it clean against Max Verstappen in final two races

Ferrari will be hoping to confirm their P3 spot this weekend

After a troubled 2020 season, the atmosphere in the Ferrari garage has taken an uplift in 2021. They had a slow start to the season, spending the majority of the first half behind rivals McLaren in the standings.

However, the Maranello based team has picked up massively in the latter half.

They are now 39.5 points ahead of McLaren. With another strong result in Jeddah on Sunday, they can confirm their spot at 3rd and enjoy a comfortable end to the season next week in Abu Dhabi.

Also read: Sebastian Vettel organises women’s only karting event in Saudi Arabia to promote equality

However, they may be a silver lining for the McLaren team ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session.

On Friday, Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc suffered a major crash during FP2. The 24 year old walked away unhurt, but his car looked to be in awful shape.

The Ferrari mechanics have a long night of work ahead of them. If they don’t manage to get the car repaired on time, the pressure is on Carlos Sainz’s shoulders to secure a good grid spot for Sunday’s race.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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