Does Marko choose Leclerc or Sainz: 'He is the better driver now'

He is a driver who is being talked about a lot at the moment: Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard was told early this year that he will no longer drive for Ferrari next year. Since then, he has shown himself with a podium and a win in the two races he has competed in so far. Red Bull's top advisor Helmut Marko sees Sainz's achievements and therefore has words of praise for the Ferrari driver.

The Spaniard has already suffered several setbacks this season: besides being replaced by Lewis Hamilton in 2025, he had to undergo surgery due to appendicitis. Nevertheless, he has shown a positive side in the two races he has driven.

Marko is not surprised by the former Toro Rosso driver's recent performance, the Austrian told Oe24: "Sainz is a strong character, ambitious and highly motivated: firstly because of his expulsion from Ferrari, secondly because of his appendix. Everything is coming together at the moment, it's at an incredible high."

It is often said that Charles Leclerc is the better driver at Ferrari, as he has generally beaten Sainz more often since the two drivers have been teammates. However, Marko thinks it is reversed these days: "Last year it was definitely Leclerc, but now I would say it's definitely Sainz."