How Sainz turned crash streak into his best Ferrari F1 weekend so far

OPINION: Carlos Sainz was one of the stars of the 2021 Russian Grand Prix. But he came into the weekend with a streak of recent crashes hanging over him. Here’s how the Ferrari newcomer worked to overcome those setbacks and deliver yet more success for his new team.

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Think back to the start of Formula 1 2021. Despite the delay to the design rules reset and the current machines entering a bizarre carryover year thanks to the pandemic-disruption cost action from F1, the FIA and the teams, there was still plenty of change to consider.

Mainly in the driver line-ups. Four switched teams over that gloomy winter, with Fernando Alonso also returning to the F1 fold after two years away and Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin and Yuki Tsunoda making the step up from Formula 2.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.