Formula 1 is the epitome of technology. The fastest race cars in the entire world are made in this series. That being said, F1 teams also need talented drivers to tame the beasts they’ve created in pursuit of eternal glory. But taming a modern Formula 1 car isn’t as easy as going flat out in your road car. Only the G-forces alone in acceleration and braking can demolish an untrained pilot. Naturally, to become a successful F1 driver, one must train his soul, mind and body. For Carlos Sainz, this may be easier said than done, given Ferrari’s Italian roots.

When you are a Ferrari driver, you are always in contention for glory. Even though the team from Maranello has had a couple of torrid years in the past, it’s no secret that they are one of the top three teams who will be vying for that elusive F1 title this season. But being a Ferrari driver also means imbibing the Italian culture of the team deep into the crevices of your being. And with all the resources and opportunities the Scuderia has given Sainz, it has also made him come face to face with many such vices.

During the launch of the SF23 earlier today, Sainz spoke about an aspect of the Italian culture he is trying hard to get off his back. He began by saying, “I mean, first of all being Spanish, we’re already very close to Italian culture. So, coming to live here, I felt at home straight away. It felt like I was Italian already!”

But feeling Italian meant Sainz Jr. was caught between a rock and a hard place. “One thing I cannot avoid and I’m pushing as much as possible to avoid now because I need to lose a kilo before the first race is the antipasti!” For those who don’t know, antipasti is the first course of a traditional Italian meal that comes with an array of cured meats, cheeses, olives, mushrooms and anchovies.

“Whenever they bring the bread with all the stuff… I try to eat one plate [as my] main course, but they always bring more and I cannot avoid it! But I have to [avoid it] these next couple of weeks!”

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Sainz is, in fact, a stickler when it comes to his diet. That being said, it is going to take a lot more than just a splattering of carbs and protein to win that maiden F1 title.

Carlos Sainz on the tough road, he and Ferrari will face to 2023 F1 title

We’ve seen sparks of brilliance from the Spaniard in 2022. The pinnacle of them being his maiden victory at the 2022 British GP. That being said, winning an F1 title isn’t about those one-offs. It’s all about consistency and staying at your peak. This isn’t lost on Sainz either.

When quizzed whether he could challenge for the title this year, he was quoted by Formula1.com as saying, “I do feel like with a perfect year, it should be possible, but we will need to be perfect next year and we will need to improve the car.”

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“I will need to improve, especially in the first half of the season and in the races. So, that is the target and you need to put high targets to yourself, and onto the team like this. You can try and accomplish them. And then let’s see what life brings [this] year.”

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Do you think Carlos Sainz has what it takes to be the best Ferrari driver in 2023?