Sainz reveals ‘bittersweet’ feeling over Ferrari form

Carlos Sainz has shared “bittersweet” feelings over Ferrari’s current form after taking pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The 30-year-old showed his disappointment in having to ready to leave as the Italian team’s championship window appears to be opening.

With the Scuderia opting to sign Lewis Hamilton for 2025, Sainz will move to Williams at the end of the current F1 season.

Ferrari delivered updates at the Italian Grand Prix in September that thrust them back into contention for pole positions and race victories, the latter of which the Spaniard’s team-mate Charles Leclerc secured in both Monza and at the United States Grand Prix.

Sainz himself used the form of the SF-24 to good effect at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, setting two lap times in Q3 quick enough for pole, ultimately taking topping the timing sheets by over two-tenths of a second.

When asked how it felt for Ferrari to be performing so well as he enters his final five rounds with the team, Sainz replied to media including RacingNews365: “Very sweet. Given how good the car is, how well I’m driving recently, it’s obviously optimistic going into the last five races.”

However, the three-time grand prix winner was quick to highlight the disappointing element to the recent improvement, something that is hard for him to swallow.

Provided Ferrari increasingly looks able to fight with Max Verstappen and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Sainz suggested it would difficult to watch Ferrari succeed without him.

“At the same time, bittersweet because it gives me a feeling Ferrari might be in the fight for the world championship next year and I will not be there to use it,” he added.

“And I feel like I’ve been quite a big part of this team during the last four years trying to prepare the team to fight for that championship next year, and the fact that I’m driving well, being fast with the car and I’m leaving in five races is definitely leaves me a bit… I don’t know how to say it, but not with a very good feeling.

“But it’s what it is. I’m going to try and, as I’ve said, win more races, stand on the podium for as long as I can during these five races and enjoy that. And then we will think about next year.”