In the most crazy race since that apocalyptic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that decided the last World Cup in favor of Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz made history by debuting his Formula 1 win locker and becoming the first Spaniard to achieve it on the sidelines Fernando Alonso (finished fifth), author of the previous 32 victories, the last one back in 2013 (Montmeló). The Ferrari driver’s triumph at Silverstone was the perfect metaphor for his sporting career; an exercise in constancy and consistency, two of his greatest attributes apart from speed, always essential in this discipline. This victory, moreover, breaks the streak of six in a row that Red Bull accumulated, and returns to the championship some of the spice that it had lost in recent dates.
Regardless of the statistics, this test will nourish the summary of the best moments of the season with several of its sequences. An appointment in one of the most pedigree circuits on the calendar, a very relevant scenario in the life of Sainz, who back in 2013 got into an F1 car for the first time (Toro Rosso), two years before debuting in the contest . From then on, his progression was without the boasts of others, but very solvent, enough for Renault to notice him (2017), for McLaren to trust him with his rebirth (2019) and for Ferrari, the most iconic symbol universal car racing, hired him last year as insurance.
150 Grands Prix have passed before Sainz could open the champagne from the highest step of the podium, a circumstance that makes him the second rider who has completed the most events until then, only behind the 190 that Checo Pérez had to wait. This, second, and Lewis Hamilton, third, accompanied the Madrilenian on the podium, the best in an epic day, a symptom of the good health that F1 enjoys. And not only because of the uncertainty that was experienced throughout the 52 completed laps, which made it very difficult to anticipate the identity of the winner until the last ten laps, but also because of the relief that it meant to see Guanyu Zhou emerge unharmed from one of the accidents. most terrifying in recent years. The shocks did not end with that of the Chinese, even though those who came later were completely different, those that leave the fans with their mouths open.
Two standing starts, four changes of leader and a bit of luck, relocated Sainz in the best possible position to debut his locker in a big way, one day after having signed up for the first pole of their life. At Silverstone he was not the fastest, but he never lowered his arms, another day of the class marks of this boy, a real mental rock for all the situations he faced since he was a child, when all the rivals in his time at the karting became obsessed with him for being the son of who he was. That discretion that always traveled with him mixed perfectly with the strong character that kept him firm in decisive moments, in recent times and especially this Sunday. Sainz knew how to get his elbows out when he had to do it —in the second start, to defend himself from Max Verstappen—, and contradict his bosses in the most decisive stretch, just before the security out, ten laps to the checkered flag.
Placed second, glued to Charles Leclerc, who was driving in front, but with the tires much more to the limit, from the Ferrari wall they asked the Spaniard to leave the Monegasque a margin, to try to protect him from the wolves that came from behind . Especially from Hamilton and Pérez, who emerged with a devilish pace. “Stop inventing!” Sainz replied, who only got an “OK” response from Riccardo Adami, his track engineer. The speed differential offered by the hard compounds when compared to the rest – soft and new – would surely have ruined the victory of the race. team, in what would have been another embarrassing harakiri. In Maranello they will have to analyze the decision-making process very well because it is not normal for Sainz, involved in the heat of the battle and at more than 300 per hour, to have clearer ideas than the enormous group of engineers who are dedicated to proposing the strategy.
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