Sainz hails Verstappen for giving him 'the most intense year of my life'

17:02, 21 Jul

Updated: 18:58, 21 Jul

byLudo van Denderen

It seems like an eternity ago, but Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were once teammates. At the then Toro Rosso, the two were thrown to the lions. As early as then, it was noticeable to the Spaniard how incredibly fast the seventeen-year-old from the Netherlands was.

The list of teammates crushed by Verstappen is vast. Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Yuki Tsunoda, and yes, Carlos Sainz too. “I think everyone is having a really tough time being Max’s teammate", he says on the High Performance Podcast.

Sainz impressed by Verstappen

Sainz himself says he didn't feel this during their time together. However, the current Williams driver was impressed by the speed of his teammate; someone Sainz constantly wanted to defeat in what he calls ‘the most intense year’ of his life, because he wanted to battle Verstappen in every session.

"Every session, every FP1, we were going for it like crazy! Like, for me, FP1 was qualifying. I wanted to beat him in every FP1, every FP2, every FP3."

Red Bull Contentpool

Read also

For example, Sainz cites the Japanese Grand Prix, which had its first practice in wet conditions. “So, it was like, who is quicker in the wet in Formula 1.”

“FP1 in Suzuka, full wets, go out on intermediates tyres, aquaplaning like crazy, just to try and show in the first wet session of my life in Formula 1, without knowing the track, I was quicker than Max, and vice versa.”

Looking back, Sainz says: "I took the risks I shouldn’t have taken. I remember leading a session in a Toro Rosso in 2015 in the wet, and that being one of the highlights of my year."

"It was honestly exhausting. That level of pressure builds you. I wouldn’t change it, I would still do it all over again."