How the Former Ferrari Driver Finished on the Podium in Baku
If you watched the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, you are well aware of the amazing weekend and race that former Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz, had. The current Williams driver has finally secured a podium finish of P3 on the windy streets of Azerbaijan. Not only did he earn his place next to Max Verstappen, who earned P1, and George Russell, who earned P2, but he also placed his podium with Williams before Lewis Hamilton did with Ferrari. If that does not say something about strategy, pace, and talent, what does?
Saniz has not had the best luck during his first season in blue, but now with this podium placement, things are truly looking up for Williams. They now sit at 101 points for the season in fifth place in the Teams’ Standings. With Saniz placing second in Qualifying in Baku, the third-place finish was something, I think, the team saw as completely achievable. After crossing the checkered flag, he said, “Vamos! Vamos! Best podium in my career. You cannot imagine how this tastes. Thank you so much. This is my first Smooth Operation in Williams!" As a long-time Carlos Saniz girl, this brings warmth to my heart, and the hearts of those who also care for this wonderful racer.
How did he do it, though? How did Sainz earn a podium with a lesser team before Ferrari? Some say it was the luck of his unicorn sticker. The unicorn, designed by a young girl named Thea, is a huge fan of his from the United Kingdom. This past week, she had submitted an important dilemma to the Williams team about what she should name her stuffed unicorn, also asking if he would wear a unicorn sticker on his helmet for the race. Maybe magic does exist after all, but either way, the drive, pace, strategy, and raw talent that went into this race were beyond comparison. While this is just the start for Williams and their quest to the top, they have no better driver to assist them. Congratulations to Sainz for earning P3 and being voted Driver of the Day. Hopefully, his good fortune is here to stay.
