Fresh Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr hopes to somehow make his mark on F1, but he doubts he will ever have the same legendary status as his father.
Carlos Sainz is an unadulterated motorsport legend and a hero in Spain with two world rally titles and four overall victories in the Dakar rally. The apple has not fallen far from the tree either, because his son Carlos Jr has meanwhile become a Ferrari driver in Formula 1.
The Scuderia may have had a disastrous year but it remains an undisputed top team and Sainz can safely say that his move to Maranello is a step forward in his career. But while he’s now a rider of the legendary Italian racing team, he doesn’t think he’ll ever have hero status like his father.
“No, no, not yet,” said Sainz Jr to ‘Motorsport-total.’ “I don’t think I’ll ever step out of his shadow, he also has a very different career than myself. I’m not there yet, but that is of course my goal. I still have a long way to go. ”
Besides the fact that his father has had a nice track record in the rally world, the Ferrari driver emphasizes that his father also had a great impact on the sport.
“He was a pioneer at the time, a special driver and brought about many changes in the World Rally Championship,” added Sainz.
“Even though I am now part of Ferrari and have achieved one of my biggest dreams, if not the biggest, he has those two world championships, four Dakar victories and that complete career.”
“That will be difficult for me to catch up. Beat him is impossible, I think. ”
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