Rebecca Bauer
Formula 1 Department
28 years old, born in Styria. F1 fan since childhood. A weakness for caffeine, cake, traditional race tracks and epic national anthems.MORE
McLaren team boss impressed by Sainz’s intelligence
“Carlos is an interesting driver,” says Andrea Stella, emphasizing one of the 29-year-old’s characteristics in particular, in addition to his usual GP-winning qualities. “He is very intelligent. He makes a plan in his head: How can I drive a lap as quickly as possible? How can I drive a race as quickly as possible?”
This intelligence, coupled with his natural instinct, is an immense advantage for teams in Formula 1. Communication with such a driver is easy. “If he sees something, be it an opportunity or a problem, he can immediately communicate it clearly to the team,” explains the McLaren boss. “Thanks to good communication, we can then do something about it straight away.”
“This quality was a decisive variable for us in the further development of the team,” praises Stella. “Sounds great, doesn’t it?” James Vowles then interjects in the team boss press conference. Williams would welcome Carlos Sainz into the team with open arms. It remains to be seen whether he accepts the invitation.
Despite all the praise from Andrea Stella, a return to McLaren is virtually impossible for Carlos Sainz. Both drivers are tied to the team in the long term. The Madrilenian was with the Woking team in 2019 and 2020 before moving to the Scuderia. The result: third place in Brazil in 2019, second in Monza in 2020.
After four years in Maranello, the three-time Grand Prix winner must now retire in 2025 Ferrari has also left. However, a return to his old McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl is not out of the question. In addition to Williams, the future Audi factory team Sauber is a top candidate for a contract.
At Red Bull, the doors are closed for now after Sergio Perez’s contract extension. Was that the right decision? Here’s our opinion.
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