Sainz after 2021 championship : "Whoever gets the car will be champion"

Carlos Sainz is impressed with the level of performance that Max Verstappen has achieved in 2021, but the Spaniard believes this is largely due to the car that Red Bull Racing gave him. Without detracting from Verstappen's performance, Sainz feels there are currently several potential world champions in Formula 1.

In 2015 and the first four Grands Prix of 2016, Sainz was Verstappen's teammate at the then Toro Rosso. AS asked the current Ferrari driver if he finds it strange to see Verstappen win the world title now. "I don't find it strange, because I could see it coming from the first races, Max had the chances [this year]."

F1 car often gives the deciding factor

By this Sainz is referring to the RB16B, which he says was extremely competitive. The Spaniard says in Formula 1 everything is related to how fast your car is, as he says there are currently 'seven or eight' (potential) World Champions on the grid. "Whoever gets the car will be champion. Admittedly what Max has done is special, the level at which he and Hamilton have competed is spectacular."

In Sainz's debut season in Formula One, he was not that much slower than teammate Verstappen at all, according to telemetry. The big question is what the secret is to ending up in a car that can compete for world championships. In Sainz's view there is no secret formula. "Max was able to wait for the right moment at Red Bull, he waited five years for this moment. Hamilton on the other hand hit the nail on the head in the first year at Mercedes."

Stability important

According to the 27-year-old driver, team building, creating a family and hard work are especially important in the premier class of motorsport. He also believes in stability, because that would bring good results. Sainz doesn't say it out loud, but he won't deny that there is always a bit of luck involved in Formula 1.