The Dramatic Twist: How Carlos Sainz Salvaged Ferrari’s Monaco GP Hopes
The Monaco Grand Prix is always a spectacle, but this year's edition added another riveting chapter to its storied history. As Ferrari fans held their collective breath, Carlos Sainz managed to turn what seemed like a disastrous situation into a triumphant comeback that helped his teammate Charles Leclerc clinch the win. Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, couldn’t have been more impressed with how Sainz handled the complexities that Monaco threw at him.
The race started with Sainz playing a critical role in defending Leclerc's pole position. Right from the get-go, he almost usurped Oscar Piastri to take second place. However, Piastri's resilience saw him maintain his position as Sainz suffered a near-heart-stopping front-left puncture after slight contact at Turn 1. The chaos didn’t stop there, as a collision at the back benefited Sainz. Sauber’s Zhou Guanue hadn’t crossed Safety Car line 2, which meant Sainz was reinstated to third under the subsequent red flag.
The rollercoaster of emotions for the Ferrari pit wall was palpable, as Vasseur explained. “From the pit wall, not exactly. Because we didn’t see the crash behind and we are focused on the discussion with Carlos to understand exactly what’s happened, if he can restart the car and so on,” he said. “And then we saw the red flag, but I didn’t see that we had another crash. It means that in this kind of situation you are always only focused on your car. You don’t think about the global picture. For sure it was good news when they told us that all the cars didn’t cross the Safety Car line and they have to do the sector one line and they have to consider the position of the Safety Car line too.”
Resuming the race, Sainz found himself in third place with Lando Norris breathing down his neck. The leading quartet settled into a strategic slow pace to preserve their tires for the remaining laps. The Spaniard had to juggle multiple tasks; maintaining a gap behind Piastri while ensuring Norris couldn’t exploit a free pit stop opportunity. It was a masterclass in tactical driving, maintaining Alonso’s pressure and also blocking any avenues Norris might think of exploiting.
Ferrari’s team principal admitted that Sainz’s role was particularly challenging. “Carlos, it was even more difficult because we asked him to stay not too far away from Piastri to cover a potential Safety Car but also to slow down Norris for Russell,” said Vasseur. “It was more controlling the race than pushing. It was a bit frustrating for them because a couple of times they asked in the radio, ‘Can I push?’ But it was not at all our interest. I’m more than pleased with the job that they did today.”
What could have been a heartbreaking end turned into a triumphant third-place finish. Sainz admitted he was fortunate that the incident involving Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and the two Haas cars played into his hands, giving him a much-needed lifeline to save his podium. “As soon as I exit Turn 1, I could feel the puncture,” Sainz highlighted. “And yeah, it looked like my race was over there at one point. And then I was really lucky to get the P3 back and race from there the rest of the race.”
This race will be remembered as a mix of strategy, skill, and a splash of good fortune. Carlos Sainz’s role in securing this podium position can’t be overstated. His understanding of the race dynamics, along with the guidance from the pit wall, ensured that Ferrari’s day at Monaco wasn’t marred by a disastrous mistake but celebrated as a tactical triumph.