Carlos Sainz: "I am not in the shadow of Fernando Alonso"

Fernando Alonso is the biggest reason Formula 1 is as big as it is nowadays in Spain. The impact the Spaniard had on his home country with his two world championship wins is immense, but Carlos Sainz Jr. has insisted he is not in Alonso's shadow.

Despite Alonso being Sainz's idol, the McLaren driver does not want to be in the former driver's shadow and instead, wants to create his own legacy in Formula 1.

"I don't feel like I'm in the shadow of Fernando," Sainz admitted to Motorsport.com. "I am only in my fifth year and I haven't even fought for a podium yet. So Carlos will always remain Carlos, just as Alonso will remain himself. I don't have to follow him, because I make my own way."

Sainz has enjoyed a very successful first season at McLaren, with the talented Spanish driver boasting the "Best of the Rest" status and is only five points behind Pierre Gasly, who has spent half of the season in a Red Bull.

However, like he mentioned, Sainz is yet to score a podium in F1, but this isn't down to the driver, it's more because of the unfairness in F1's foundations, something Sainz has described as "very frustrating".

"That is very frustrating," Sainz said on not scoring a podium finish. "Because the athlete has no influence on it himself. It is not a 100-metre sprint where the fastest wins, but I do believe that the best drivers will end up in the best cars as well.

"However, it ensures that great champions win far fewer prizes than they might win. Fernando is of course a great example. I think everyone agrees that with his qualities he could have won more titles."