Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz became the 104th driver to earn a F1 pole, and will start Sunday’s British GP from the front row.
It was yet another pole for Ferrari this weekend in Silverstone, but Charles Leclerc was not the one who got it. Instead, his teammate Sainz surprised many by getting his first ever pole position in F1.
Sainz admitted after the race that he was struggling for grip, and was very surprised that he finished P1. However, he capitalized on his teammate’s mistake and kept his cool. This led to him becoming the 104th driver in F1 history to start a race from the front of the pack.
Here’s how they line up at Silverstone 👀#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/dKWLnrME3w
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 2, 2022
“It was a good lap,” Sainz said in the post qualifying interview. “I was struggling a lot with the standing water. Pole came as a bit of a surprise. The pace has been there all weekend.”
The last time a Spaniard took pole in F1? 🇪🇸
Fernando Alonso for Ferrari, in the wet, almost exactly 10 years ago#BritishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/TOpauw7dFp
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 2, 2022
Before all the external praise however, the first person to congratulate him was his race engineer.
Carlos Sainz bounces back after a tough start to the 2022 season
Sainz’s 2022 season was not ideal up until Silverstone. He has five podium finishes to his name, but multiple errors and bad luck has seen him drop out of the Championship battle as things stand.
He’s P5 in the Drivers’ Championship Standings, and insists that his focus is not on Title glory. However, him getting this pole position and finishing ahead of Verstappen and Leclerc, will do his confidence the world of good.
Carlos Sainz: “I didn’t expect that one. I felt terrible out there! How did I do P1?”
Engineer: “You keep it together, like a smooth operator.”
— F24 (@Formula24hrs) July 2, 2022
“I didn’t expect that one,” he said on the team radio after the session. I felt terrible out there! How did I do P1?”
“You keep it together, like a smooth operator,” was his race engineer’s reply. The Spaniard has had a tough few months, and this was something every person in the Ferrari pit-wall enjoyed.
The 27-year old will be hoping get a good start on Sunday, and convert this pole position into a race win.
Also read: Lewis Hamilton wants the British fans to move forward and forget the 2021 season result
