Carlos Sainz positioned himself as a contender for Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes seat in 2025 following his standout showing at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Ferrari ace was honoured with the ‘Driver of the Day’ accolade by fans for his remarkable performance, ascending from fourth on the grid to clinch the last spot on the podium, narrowly trailing behind Sergio Perez in second place.
The Spaniard speaking after the race said: “I felt really good out there today, the start wasn’t great, from then on I just managed my tyres well and then I could do my race.
“I overtook two or three cars on the way to the podium and keeping up with the Red Bull there was a pleasant surprise. It’s still not enough and where we want to be. Good step forward and a solid start to the season.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix opened the Formula 1 season without the anticipated fanfare, as Max Verstappen’s dominance continued with a comfortable win.
Behind him, a more intense competition unfolded between Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Sainz overcoming teammate Charles Leclerc and finishing just behind Perez.
Leclerc struggled with multiple issues, including front-tyre lock-ups, which led to him dropping positions early on. George Russell, facing engine cooling issues, and Lewis Hamilton, dealing with a ‘broken seat’, both encountered challenges, finishing behind their expected positions.
Hamilton, starting from ninth, managed to finish seventh, unable to catch Lando Norris. McLaren showcased a surprisingly strong performance, both in qualifying and on race day, indicating a potential shift in team dynamics for the season ahead.
