In a stunning revelation at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz expressed his frustration over the team's pit lane confusion that marred what could have been a compelling performance. Despite finishing in third place, Sainz's post-race comments highlighted a self-critique of the team's execution during the race, which took place on a spectacular course lit by the dazzling lights of the Las Vegas Strip.

Starting from an impressive P2 on Saturday evening, Sainz found himself slipping to P3 by Lap 26, behind race leader George Russell and the eventual champion Max Verstappen, who secured his fourth title with a fifth-place finish in this race. As he fought to maintain his podium position against pressure from Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton, who ultimately finished second, the tension in the Ferrari camp escalated quickly.

The chaos unfolded on Lap 27 when, after allowing teammate Charles Leclerc to pass, Sainz received an unexpected instruction to pit. Just moments later, he was abruptly told to stay out, a miscommunication that forced him to skip the pit entry completely. An exasperated Sainz questioned the team, asking, “What happened?!”, to which his race engineer Riccardo Adami responded, “We were not ready.” The driver snapped back with a poignant plea: "Wake up guys, come on!"

In an exclusive interview following the race, Sainz reflected on the team's missed opportunities: "We simply didn’t execute well. We lost valuable time during the pit entry due to poor communication, which affected my race. I believe we stayed out a lap too long on mediums and even more on the hards, which compounded the issue."

Despite the setbacks, there were glimmers of hope for Ferrari. With Sainz's third-place finish and Leclerc’s fourth, the Scuderia gained 12 points against constructors' leaders McLaren, narrowing the gap to just 24 points. As the teams head into the final two races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Sainz is keen on maximizing every opportunity: “We need to go into these races focused on extracting the most from our car, even if the Qatar track poses a challenge for us."

Sainz acknowledged the increasing competitiveness of the field, especially with formidable performances from Mercedes and McLaren. He candidly admitted to the limitations of his car in comparison to the quicker packages on track, specifically noting that both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton had executed a flawless race.

As the Formula 1 circus prepares to shift its focus to Qatar, this race marked a pivotal moment for Sainz and Ferrari, both for the lessons learned and for the motivation to reclaim their competitive edge. With only two races left this season, fans are left wondering if the Scuderia can bounce back and reclaim their glory on the track—stay tuned for what promises to be an exhilarating finish to the season!