Carlos Sainz said being a Ferrari driver is a “very special experience”, but admitted “not everything is roses and perfect” about it.

It is the perceived wisdom in Formula 1 that being a Ferrari driver brings with it a unique pressure, with the Scuderia not only being the oldest team and most successful team in the sport, but Italy’s de facto national team – which brings with it significant scrutiny on all aspects of the operation.

Carlos Sainz discusses Ferrari experience as he departs for Williams

Sainz was informed ahead of the 2024 season that he would not be continuing with Ferrari in 2025, with Lewis Hamilton signed on a multi-year deal to partner Charles Leclerc.

The 30-year-old has penned a multi-year deal with Williams instead, looking to bring the team back towards the front of the field in his time there.

While there is support all around the world for Ferrari, Sainz acknowledged it is not perfect all the time.

He remained tight-lipped on what exactly the negatives are to balance out the positives of driving for the Scuderia, but acknowledged it is not always easy.

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“It’s a very special experience,” Sainz said of being a Ferrari driver while speaking to Tom Clarkson on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“It’s something that even if I sit here and I try to explain it to you, I don’t think I can. I’m not very good at explaining myself or explaining my feelings and but I can tell you, it’s something very different to anything that I felt before, and I’ve enjoyed every single moment of it.

“Sometimes it’s tough, there’s things about being a Ferrari driver that is also tough. And I’m not going to lie, not everything is roses and perfect.

“I’m going to focus on the positives, which is every Grand Prix is a kind of a home Grand Prix.

“Everywhere you go, there is tifosi fans, and you have the most supporters out of any other place in or any other team – except maybe when we go to Zandvoort, there’s definitely more Dutch fans there than Ferrari fans – but I think anywhere else in the world, it is very special knowing that everyone in the grandstand is kind of a Ferrari fan and wishes well for Ferrari.

“On the tough side, we can sit here and obviously do a different podcast one time, and I can maybe explain to you what is tough about being a Ferrari driver, but I don’t want this interview to be that.”

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