Sainz: "Doubt there are drivers in F1 who are faster than him"

Carlos Sainz was brought in to Ferrari as the successor to Sebastian Vettel. It was expected that he would have a tough job with Charles Leclerc, but the Spaniard managed to beat him in his first year in red. That doesn't mean, however, that on reflection Leclerc isn't as great a driver as people make him out to be.

Qualities Leclerc

Sainz has access to Leclerc's telemetry data and he is impressed. He ranks the Monegasque among the best drivers on the grid. "Without any doubt, he is one of the greats. He is a specialist in many things and works much harder than people think," Sainz told AS.

"He has the complete package of speed, hard work and consistency, I doubt there are drivers driving in Formula 1 who are much faster than him."

Yet the Madrid native managed to score 15.5 points more than Leclerc after 22 Grands Prix. How did he manage that? Sainz admitted he doesn't know exactly. "I know I focused on myself, I understood the car, I adapted and got it to my liking." When Sainz has a car to his liking and knows how to adapt, he says he is tremendously fast.

Sainz going under the radar

Sainz's name is often missing from lists of so-called 'talented' drivers. Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, George Russell and Charles Leclerc are called the men of the future, but Sainz fits in perfectly. It doesn't bother him too much that public opinion is looking more to other young drivers.

"People who have to take me into account, take me into account. And if not, ask Charles or Lando, who have seen my telemetry and my data, or even team bosses where I have worked and competed," said Sainz. According to the Spaniard, the most important thing is that he is appreciated by the people around him.