Carlos Sainz will drive his final race for Ferrari at least for now in the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but he did one thing he had ‘never before’ during qualifying on Saturday.
The 30-year-old has endured an unusual farewell tour with Ferrari this year, as the Scuderia effectively sacked Sainz before the season started. A chance to sign Mercedes legend Lewis Hamilton proved too enticing for the Maranello outfit, with Sainz out of contract after 2024.
Sainz will now start what is the last race of the Spaniard’s current spell at Ferrari from third place on the grid at the Abu Dhabi GP. The Madrid native will join Williams next season, yet is keen to keep the door for a return to Ferrari one day open should that chance ever appear.
Carlos Sainz pushed ‘like never before’ to seal P3 in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi GP
McLaren racers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row of the Abu Dhabi GP grid ahead of Sainz. The papaya pair posted laps of 1:22.595 and 1:22.804 in Q3. Piastri only beat Sainz by 0.020 seconds, with Nico Hulkenberg ending Q3 in a shock P4 at Yas Marina.
But to deny Hulkenberg third place on the Abu Dhabi grid by 0.062s, Sainz admits he had to push ‘like never before’. The Madrid native is going all-out to try and end this chapter of his career on a high knowing it might be Sainz’s final chance to win a Grand Prix for some time.
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“I’m going to give it everything,” Sainz said in the post-qualifying top-three interview in the pit lane. “Already today I was pushing in qualifying like never before because I wanted pole position and to give myself a good chance for tomorrow, as it might be my last battle for a win or a podium for a while.
“At the same time, I’m enjoying it as much as possible this last weekend, pushing flat out and tomorrow, nothing to lose. So, we will go for it.”
Sainz will see Red Bull’s Max Verstappen join the Ferrari racer on the second row of the grid for the Abu Dhabi GP after Hulkenberg drew a three-place grid penalty. The stewards ruled he failed to follow the race director’s instructions by overtaking two cars in the pit lane exit.
Carlos Sainz is leaving Ferrari after the best season of his Formula 1 career
Sainz signed an initial two-year contract with Williams in July to secure a future into the new chassis and engine regulations coming in 2026. His deal also has options for the Grove outfit to extend the Spaniard’s stay. But Williams might need a miracle to offer Sainz a winning car.
Williams have won 114 Grands Prix so far, but have not stood atop a podium since the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix with Pastor Maldonado. Juan Pablo Montoya also took the team’s 113th win at the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, showing the dubiousness of Sainz winning for Williams.
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| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Max Verstappen |
429 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
349 |
| 3 |
Charles Leclerc |
341 |
| 4 |
Oscar Piastri |
291 |
| 5 |
Carlos Sainz Jr |
272 |
| 6 |
George Russell |
235 |
| 7 |
Lewis Hamilton |
211 |
| 8 |
Sergio Perez |
152 |
So, Sainz will ‘go for it’ in the Abu Dhabi GP knowing he faces a tough task to add to his four Grand Prix victories for Ferrari once Hamilton steals his seat. A victory on Sunday would also further this term as the best year of Sainz’s F1 career, with a record 272 points and counting.
He has two wins to date with Sainz returning from appendicitis surgery to win the Australian Grand Prix, before later dominating the Mexico City Grand Prix. A big result in the Abu Dhabi GP could even see Sainz claim a career-high in the drivers’ standings by escaping fifth place.
