'If you stuck Sainz in a McLaren, he would have been going for the title'

21:01, 27 Dec

byTobia Elia

Former FIA steward Johnny Herbert has compared Carlos Sainz to Max Verstappen, highlighting the Spaniard’s standout qualities in his first season at Williams.

"He’s someone who flies a little bit more under the radar because he's not as verbal a driver or as in-your-face as Max (Verstappen) is, for example."

- Johnny Herbert

The Spaniard wrapped up the season on a strong upward trajectory, emerging impressively from the difficulties he faced in the first half of the year — finishing just behind his team-mate, but with two podiums as the icing on the cake and high morale heading into next season, where Williams are hoping to play a leading role.

“Carlos seems to be a massive addition with all the experience that he's had in recent times at Ferrari, Herbert told a betting site.

“We saw how good he was up against Charles Leclerc for example. It took him a little bit of time to get comfortable with the team and the car but then once again, in the second part of the season, he really started to come alive again.

The former FIA steward is convinced that, if given a title-winning car, Sainz would be ready to fight for a world championship — even if, in his view, his characteristics differ from those of a driver like Max Verstappen.

Photo: RacePictures

“If they were able to give him the car that he needs, if you stuck him in a McLaren, he would have been going for the World Championship. He’s someone who flies a little bit more under the radar because he's not as verbal a driver or as in-your-face as Max (Verstappen) is, for example.

“He just gets on with the job, very much like his father. He’s got a very good work ethic and that work ethic is something that is very important within a team structure. I hope he gets a real chance of getting in a car that would give him that shot of the world championship because I think he would achieve it very professionally.”

With a Mercedes power unit that is widely rumoured to hold a significant advantage over the competition, the Grove-based team Williams are hoping to return to former glories — echoing 2014, when the sheer superiority of the Mercedes engine propelled them into the ranks of the front-running teams from the very first race.

Villeneuve names the rare skill that both Verstappen and Sainz share

While Herbert underlined the different personalities of the two, the 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve pointed out one key element he believes they share.

Both made their Formula 1 debut exactly ten years ago, lining up as team-mates at Toro Rosso — even though their careers have since taken very different paths as time has gone on.

Here’s what Villeneuve was referring to.

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