Sainz Reveals Ferrari Data Shock That Won Him Seat

Carlos Sainz has admitted he was left stunned when Ferrari presented him with a detailed analysis of his performances from the previous six years—before he even signed for the team in 2021. It wasn't the pressure of joining Maranello that caught him off guard, but the sheer depth of the scouting data.

The information was delivered by Mattia Binotto, then Ferrari team principal, and Laurent Mekies, the sporting director at the time. Binotto now leads Audi's F1 project, while Mekies has taken over as Red Bull team principal. Sainz shared the story in a recent paddock interview.

“I remember when I went to Ferrari, Mattia and Laurent presented me a document of all my performances for the last six years against team-mates. I was shocked with how much they knew. At McLaren, Renault, and Toro Rosso, I thought they wouldn't know,” said the Spanish driver.

Baca JugaPerez Siap Gantikan Sainz di Williams untuk F1 2027

What impressed him even more was the level of detail: data covering wet conditions, dry-to-wet transitions, dry tracks, and qualifying results. For Sainz, that depth of analysis showed Ferrari's serious intent—especially when he was competing with the likes of Daniel Ricciardo for the seat vacated by Sebastian Vettel.

“They scouted me, and that's why they chose me. They then presented the statistics that they thought I could improve, and I was like 'It's the statistics also that I knew I had to improve',” he added.

Sainz admitted he wasn't fully ready to see how much top teams monitor drivers. But the experience boosted his confidence. “I was not entirely ready to see that teams were actually looking at the level of detail. A team like Ferrari to scout me and choose me over Daniel Ricciardo or other contenders—I was impressed. I was happily impressed to see that top teams with the tools to do that are able to see that level of detail,” he concluded.

Now at Williams, Sainz carries that lesson into a new chapter. His Ferrari years were a golden period, but the way the team recruited him will always stand out as a moment that changed his perspective on F1.