Fresh Off Baku Podium, Carlos Sainz Drops 12-Track Cover Album. First Copy Sent to Ferrari.
Every track is a variation of Sade’s 80s classic “Smooth Operator.”
BAKU—Just hours after standing on the podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz stunned again with a surprise album release. His debut album, Smooth Operator: Williams Edition, features twelve variations of Sade’s 1984 classic and the first signed copy has already been delivered directly to Ferrari headquarters.
Each track, sources confirm, is simply “Smooth Operator” with slight tweaks. Highlights include:
Smooth Operator (I Don’t Like Pasta Remix)
Smooth Operator (New Phone, Who Dis Mix)
Smooth Operator (Hamilton Podium Edit)
Smooth Operator (Acoustic Tifosi Tribute)
When asked why he would release an entire album of one song, Sainz smiled. “Because it’s who I am,” he said. “I started it as soon as I joined Williams with one cover, but then it snowballed until I finally got a podium.”
Sainz’s gesture has nothing to do with Ferrari unceremoniously dropping him for Lewis Hamilton, despite the Spaniard’s consistent performances. The album was mailed, complete with a handwritten note reading, “Hope this helps with strategy.”
Ferrari executives reportedly opened the package expecting another gift lasagna. “We thought it was our favorite dish again,” said one engineer. “Instead, it was Carlos crooning twelve different ways. I still can’t tell if we should be mad or not.”
Anthony Fantano has already weighed in on the record. “Yes, it’s repetitive,” said the YouTube reviewer. “But he’s podiuming in a Williams. He could have added another twelve tracks. This might be Album of the Year.”
Fan reception is extremely positive. “He went from smooth on track to smooth on wax,” said one supporter. “He came off one podium and went straight into the Billboard podium.”
Not everyone is impressed. Oscar Piastri admitted he only made it halfway through the album. “I sort of hit a wall,” he said. “I was really looking forward to finishing it, but it was a DNF by lap six.”
Industry insiders predict strong sales, especially among disillusioned Ferrari fans. One Italian journalist put it bluntly: “After this season, we need less British fashion and more Spanish saxophone.”
As of writing this article, Sainz is already teasing a follow-up project: Smooth Operator II: Even Smoother.