Carlos Sainz is targeting a consistent run home in the final four races of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
The Spaniard has had an up-and-down season thus far, claiming a breakthrough victory at the British Grand Prix, but also enduring reliability issues and poor strategic calls from the Ferrari pit wall.
He currently sits fifth in the drivers’ championship, five points down on Mercedes’ George Russell, and heads into this weekend’s United States Grand Prix off the back of an opening-lap retirement in Japan.
For that he can hardly be blamed; the race got underway in treacherous conditions with Sainz’s car aquaplaning off the road before impacting the barrier exiting the hairpin in an incident that ultimately triggered the red flag.
It’s a prime example of the season thus far, with plenty of potential interrupted by incidents often outside of the 28-year-old’s control.
“This year for me has been characterised by never getting more than two or three consecutive good races,” Sainz lamented.
“Always reliability issue, bad pit stop, a strategy issue that comes into play when you’re about to get in a good run of races.
“That is so important in Formula 1, to gather a bit of momentum and get the confidence for the team and for myself building.”
Despite the turmoil and race day disappointment, the 2022 season can be considered a successful one for Ferrari after it bounced back from a disastrous run since 2020.
It has emerged as the strongest challenger to Red Bull, and even led both drivers’ and constructors’ competitionrs for a time.
However, it remains something of a work in progress when it comes to being a championship-contending operation, with reliability a key concern.
All Ferrari-powered cars this season have struggled, leading to grid penalties and, for the likes of Sainz and Charles Leclerc, more complicated races as a result.
Leclerc has been twice forced out of the race while leading due to reliability concerns, with Team Principal Mattia Binotto admitting it is a concern.
So too are some of the operational issues the team has experienced, though Binotto has defended his team publicly on that front.
However, the combination has combined to see Leclerc’s championship challenge blunted by mid-season when he crashed out of the French Grand Prix.
Sainz has had his own issues, spinning out of the Australian Grand Prix early as he battled to overcome a car that didn’t suit him in the opening races.
He was also an early casualty at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix when he was shunted by Daniel Ricciardo into the Tamburello Chicane on the first lap.
Add in reliability issues in Austria and apparent strategic issues in France and the crash in Japan and it has been anything but a clear run for the Spaniard, who has finished no higher than third since his victory in Silverstone.
The 2022 season continues this weekend with the United States Grand Prix, opening practice for which begins at 14:00 local time on Friday (20:00 BST/Saturday 0600 AEDT)
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