Carlos Sainz has already met in the cold morning of Fiorano, who will be, who already is, his new closest operational staff at Ferrari. They are the important ones, the trio of engineers you must trust, that will guide you in your race through the radio, that will monitor the data, that will analyze your day to day. Your hard core.
They are not new to this, he has inherited them from Sebastian Vettel, with whom they had brilliant moments and others more discreet. Starting with the most veteran, Riccardo Adami, as a track engineer, who stood by the German’s side throughout his career at Ferrari, in victories and defeats.
In fact was your engineer at Toro Rosso in that historic victory at Monza, as it was for Ricciardo or Bourdais. At 47 years old, he accumulates 20 of them in F1 since he started in Minardi, where coincided with another young man who was starting then, Fernando Alonso.
Vettel, with Adami, Petrik and MacDonald (wearing glasses), during a classic track reconnaissance.
Next to him will be Steven Petrik, who has been in Maranello for five years, now as a performance engineer for the 55 car, and also Calum MacDonald, coach, advisor and assistant pilot for a couple of seasons after being a simulation engineer. As the first mechanic, also a key type, in repeats Filippo Milani. “It is the same team, we have not grafted anything from outside,” Binotto warned months ago.
All of them are below the command leadership, headed by Mattia Binotto and Laurent Mekies, sports director, present, like the first three, at Carlos’ debut at Fiorano
Carlos came out very satisfied and with the feeling that fitting into a superstructure like Ferrari is not being that difficult. He lacks filming, with his new people, with the car, with the bosses, with everything.
But his new staff also saw first-hand what kind of driver Carlos is in those 175 laps he gave the track owned by Ferari in the two test days. Fast early, times similar to Leclerc, sSure, maniac of preparation (in this it is already known that his father has gone out), making evident the experience he has after six seasons in three different teams. Young, but not a rookie, since there is a big difference, capable, like Leclerc, of being able to win a race dressed in red. Now it’s time to grease the machinery.
