Sainz finished third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Y🐻as Marina Circuit on Sunday. 

The focus after the race has been on the Safety Car stoppage and FIA race director Mic🧸hael Masi’s decision to only let a handful of cars unlap themselves - which seemingly contravened 🎀the FIA sporting regulations - ultimately giving Verstappen a clear run at Hamilton to overtake him to secure the title.

Sainz was running in fourth when the Safety Car was deployed bu🏅t was promoted to third after Re൲d Bull retired Sergio Perez.

“It’s truly a great way to end a very positive first year in Ferrari for me,” Sainz said. “A very challenging year but in the end, it turned out to be a very strong one. A year that I’m quite proud of and yeah, to finish it with a podium that probably no one will remember – I’ll add 𒈔it to the collection – because of whatever was happening in front. 

“I enjoyed it a lot and put together everything that I have learned through this first year to put probably my strongest race in Ferrari toget🍰her.

Sainz’s fourth podium of the s🎃eason propelled him up to fifth in the drivers’ championship, ahead of former teammate Lando Norris and current Ferrari ꦡteammate Charles Leclerc.

It also continued Sainz’s🦂 remarkable streak of finishing in the points for the 14th consecutive race.

Reflecting on finishing ‘best of the rest’ behind the Mercedes pair and Red Bulls, Sainz added: “It’s not like finishing fifth, sixth or seventh in the championship today would have changed my mood going into the winter break. It’s another strong sign that this ye♔ar was strong, that this year was positive for me. 

“Especially the way it finished in this ♛last third, just gives me a lot of confidence going into 2022, for whatever happens and whatever car Ferrari and I have, we will go for it, because my confidence is high.”