Sainz reveals the trick behind ‘most important’ Brazil GP podium

14:47, 12 Nov

Updated: 14:52, 12 Nov

byKada Sarkozi

Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon shared how they managed to 'score a podium' during the brilliant drivers’ parade at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

"Suddenly we see all drivers always pushing flat out, like there's no tomorrow. The most important race of the weekend is that one."

- Carlos Sainz

After the LEGO cars of the Miami GP, F1 drivers in Brazil had the chance to go around the Interlagos track in soapbox cars, which led to some unexpected moments. The Mercedes car, for example, didn't make it, as George Russell got a ride from Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda.

The moment the two Williams teammates saw what was on the cards, both began running to be the one behind the steering wheel.

During the team's debrief, Albon explained that they reached a maximum of 40 kph, as his teammate kept telling him, 'slow down.'

The Spaniard explained: "I need to jump in the co-driver's seat, which at the beginning was on the back seat facing back. And I'm like, 'no, no, no, this is not going to go well.' If he pushes flat out, no seatbelt, no nothing, driver’s parade before an F1 race, last thing you want is a crash, roll, whatever, and here I get injured."

He continued: "Suddenly we see all drivers always pushing flat out, like there's no tomorrow. The most important race of the weekend is that one.

"Forget the sprint, forget the Grand Prix, we're all pushing flat out. And at this stage, we see our car that we've been given is not the most powerful one."

Sainz and Albon at the drivers' parade of the Brazil GP - Photo: Race Pictures

Sainz and Albon find special shortcut

The drivers noticed they did not have the most powerful car, especially compared to Ferrari and Alpine. Therefore, Sainz began looking for alternatives.

He explained: "I say, 'let's take a shortcut.' So, we go down to the end of Turn 4 and suddenly I spot going up the hill a shortcut that takes you straight down to Turn 12, which is the last corner of the track.

"So we're going to miss the whole Sector 2, we're going to shortcut the whole track, forget about the fans saying hello.

"We go completely infield, bumpy road like in the middle of the grass, like, and suddenly we find the little road that takes us down to Turn 12."

In the end, the Williams duo finished the parade in third place behind Alpine and Ferrari, meaning Sainz scored his “second podium” of the year after the Azerbaijan GP.

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