Carlos Sainz reveals Ferrari's detailed data analysis led to his recruitment

Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz revealed that his recruitment by Ferrari for the 2021 season was based on an unexpectedly deep analysis of his previous six years in the sport. During his arrival at the team, then-team principal Mattia Binotto and sporting director Laurent Mekies presented him with a comprehensive document comparing his performance against former teammates.

Sainz expressed shock at the level of detail provided, noting that Ferrari had analyzed his performance across various specific conditions, including qualifying sessions, wet weather, and drying tracks. The data covered his time at Toro Rosso, Renault, and McLaren.

Beyond highlighting his strengths, the analysis identified specific areas for professional development. Sainz noted that many of Ferrari's findings aligned with his own self-assessment of where he needed to improve. He believes this rigorous scouting process was a decisive factor in the team selecting him over other candidates, such as Daniel Ricciardo, to replace Sebastian Vettel.