IMAGO / PanoramiC

Coming back to racing after the Australian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz will be hoping for a good outing in Suzuka. The Spanish driver added a little excitement to this season, and fans hope for it to continue. Sainz, too, would be praying for a strong outing in the Qualifying session so he can set the pace for the feature race. In a photo clicked by F1 photojournalist Kym Illman sees Sainz join his hands as if in prayer. However, Illman clarified the gesture came following a fault on Sainz’s part rather than praying for a good result.

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F1 follows strict rules and adheres to them no matter what. Given the exclusivity of the paddock, carrying passes that grant access to the area is a must. Even the drivers need to stick to the code of conduct and carry these passes. On the second day of the Japanese GP weekend, Sainz forgot to carry the pass and found himself in an awkward situation.

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Thus, as he reached the entry gates, Sainz had to join his hands to plead to the attendant to let him pass. Thankfully for the Ferrari driver, the attendant was able to recognize him. Sainz was allowed to pass through the swipes despite not having his pass.

While Sainz had little problem getting into the paddock, the case isn’t the same for all F1 drivers. Back in 2014, at the Australian GP, Lewis Hamilton suffered an oil problem with his car in FP1. Returning to the paddock on foot, the Briton had to pass through the swipes. However, given he did not have the gate pass with him, the attendant intervened. They asked Hamilton if he had a pass. In no mood to explain, a frustrated Hamilton said, “I’m a driver,” and barged his way along.

Carlos Sainz would be hoping to continue his form in Japan

Sainz has had a strong start to the 2024 season, securing impressive results thus far. He secured P3 at the season opener in Bahrain before having to miss out on the Saudi Arabian Grand owing to an appendectomy. The 29-year-old made a strong comeback in the following race, securing the top spot on the podium.

Hence, having secured a podium spot in both of his races, the Spanish driver currently enjoys a 100% podium record. Heading into the race in Suzuka, Sainz’s primary aim would be to continue the form and take the fight to the Red Bull drivers.

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The goal is doubly important for Sainz, given he doesn’t have a driving seat for 2025. Replaced by Hamilton, the three-time Grand Prix winner remains ‘jobless’ for next year and needs to find a decent team. To achieve the same, Sainz needs to continue performing at the top of his abilities. FP1 in Japan proved to be a step in the positive direction for Sainz.

He finished P3 behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, respectively. Opting to not partake in FP2, Sainz then drove 27 laps in FP3. Despite finishing the session in P7, Sainz was able to improve his best lap time from FP1 by a little over 0.100 seconds, potentially boosting his confidence for the race.