Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz after winning the Singapore GP. (Credit: Twitter)
Sainz topped the podium at last week’s Singapore Grand Prix to end Red Bull’s hopes of an undefeated Formula One season, with runaway championship leader Max Verstappen finishing fifth and Sergio Perez eighth.
FerrariтАЩs Carlos Sainz said Thursday he was proud of ending Red BullтАЩs unbeaten streak but тАЬwouldnтАЩt be surprised” if they do not lose again this season.
Sainz topped the podium at last weekтАЩs Singapore Grand Prix to end Red BullтАЩs hopes of an undefeated Formula One season, with runaway championship leader Max Verstappen finishing fifth and Sergio Perez eighth.
The Red Bulls will start as heavy favourites to restore normal order at this weekтАЩs Japanese Grand Prix and could clinch the constructorsтАЩ championship at Suzuka.
Sainz said beating them in Singapore тАЬgives me a lot of pride” but he did not pin his hopes on a repeat performance with seven races of the season remaining.
тАЬIt seemed almost like it was going to be impossible to beat them,” said the Spaniard.
тАЬTo go to Singapore and do it in the way we did it is a great feeling, but I wouldnтАЩt be surprised if they win the rest of their races.”
Sainz is currently enjoying a run of form, finishing third at the Italian Grand Prix at the start of the month before winning in Singapore, and claiming pole in both races.
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He is fifth in the driversтАЩ standings, 28 points behind Spanish compatriot Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
тАЬItтАЩs always important to keep your head down and try to keep the momentum going, because itтАЩs always difficult to find that momentum in such a competitive environment,” said Sainz.
тАЬSingapore is over. We focus on Suzuka.”
Ferrari are currently third in the constructorsтАЩ standings, 24 points behind Mercedes.
Sainz said he and teammate Charles Leclerc have been dealing with a тАЬtricky” car and were тАЬstill trying to find the right set-up”.
тАЬThe only thing I can say is that weтАЩve been working hard to try to find the sweet spot,” said Sainz.
тАЬProbably we still havenтАЩt found it yet and thatтАЩs why every week I try something different in the car to try to challenge myself, the car and the team.”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)