Carlos Sainz prediction for the Champions League final 1:17
(CNN Spanish) --
Comparisons are hateful and sometimes very unfair.
Carlos Sainz Jr. (Madrid, September 1, 1991) has had to live with it since he was a child due to the legacy of his father —the rally champion Carlos Sainz—, but the reality is that the Ferrari driver in F1 has years giving joy on the track and being considered by many the great future of world racing.
The man from Madrid is ready for the Spanish Grand Prix and has before him a unique opportunity to become the star of Formula 1.
Sainz, who has achieved three podium finishes so far this year, is very excited to do well in front of the more than 100,000 people who will pack the stands at Montmeló and get his first victory.
CNN spoke with the Spanish driver about his presence in F1 and his passion for football.
This is Sainz's perspective on motorsports, Real Madrid, his father and social media, in his own voice.
Balance of the Formula 1 championship
“I look good. I think it's a unique opportunity to be driving for Ferrari with a competitive car. to be on the podium in every race he has finished. So you have to be positive and think that you can still recover."
Running in Spain, at home
"I have a tremendous desire to race in front of all the fans to try to get a good result and try to give them a great weekend. Racing in Ferrari in front of all your fans at home is something unique and I'm going to enjoy it."
Looking for the first win this season
"The fans help and if it's not here let it be Monaco. And if it's not in Monaco... I'll keep trying. But I go to every race thinking that we can win and I think it's going to be the same here".
advertising
Race with the Ferrari F1-75
"I think I've made progress since the first race, which was actually in Bahrain, and it took me quite a while to find the feeling. I think we've made progress. There will always be cars in the race, a driver that suits you better than other cars. that you like more at the driving level than others. The point is to work to try to bring it a bit towards me, towards my taste, change the style of riding a bit and whoever finds it will have good times for sure".
Advice from his father before the race
"My father, the truth, already has a much more role as a family companion than advice. He always gave it to me at the time and I have always kept it to myself. But we continue, we remain united. It will come this weekend, we continue sharing these moments together and we enjoyed it very much".
How do you handle the pressure of competition?
"Lately, the taboo of being able to talk openly about the problems that each one may go through has been opened. I, of course, have my thoughts, which I carry with me, and that we all try to fight, but I think that, with good techniques, seeing everything can be counteracted to a professional, so to speak. Pressure? Sure, it's a Grand Prix at home and with Ferrari, well, of course there's no expression. But it's something I'm used to, something I've been training for many years and something in which, honestly, the Spanish Grand Prix has always gone well for me, I've always had good races, there's always pressure here, so I'm not afraid of it".
Inspired by his father
"He is a person who, even at 60, continues to give everything in the gym, continues to prepare as if it were a World Cup final. That inspires me, seeing him up close, he always has a smile in his sport, he always enjoys it. And for me that's something very important."
Real Madrid, the team of his loves, plays the final of the Champions League
"Well, I hope we win because the finals are there to win them, but even if we don't win, don't think so, that I'm not going to be happy with the year Madrid has had. I think Madrid honors them. Everything we have fought for this year, winning the League. So go out relaxed to win it, to fight for it. But if you don't win, nothing happens".
Real Madrid is pure effort and heart
"What they achieved was an effort between the 11 that made up the team and I ask both me and Ferrari to make the same effort, not to try to continue making an effort because there are 17 races left if it has not been the ideal start. But we continue along the lines that we have, a comeback is also possible".
Formula 1 and social networks
"They have a fundamental role. I think you have to know how to take them with a middle ground, not obsessing with them, not obsessing with what people say, who have a lot of free time and get very bored on the networks, but take advantage of them to transmit a good message, also transmit a real message, that not everything is as beautiful as it is always painted on the networks and also transmit the effort, the work that goes into a Formula 1 driver and not only the Ferraris, not only the paddock, cars… there's a lot more to it than that."
Sunday's duel will be with...
"It looks like there will be a duel with Red Bull, unless there are teams like Mercedes or McLaren that bring improvements of more than half a second, which is difficult to see, but it could happen, so we have to be vigilant" .
