Carlos Sainz downplayed Max Verstappen’s title win, saying that he had the tools the other drivers didn’t.
Verstappen ended Lewis Hamilton’s streak of four consecutive Drivers’ Championships by winning it himself in 2021. It was the first world title of his career, and he took it in fine style.
Laps led, races won, every important statistic had the Dutchman in the lead, and in some cases head and shoulders above the rest. It was a commanding season from him, and one of the finest title-winning seasons in a long time.
However, Sainz downplayed Verstappen’s title win, saying that although he was excellent, he was helped by a rapid car.
“It’s not strange to me because you could see it coming from the first races, Max had those options,” he told as.com.
“I firmly believe there are seven or eight world champions on the grid right now. Whoever gets the car will be the champion.
“Although what Max has done has been special, the level at which he and Hamilton have competed is spectacular.”
Everyone is good
“I don’t know if it’s an exact number but there are many drivers with the potential,” he continued.
“I want to think so, but my head tells me these teams are so good they are capable of doing both at the same time and they will be at the top, for sure.
“I imagine two extremes. A team that nails it, suddenly, and wins with a serious advantage. Or the other extreme, which is a completely even season, and that is what I want.
“This year we saw the drivers making a difference. There were four cars capable of fighting for the World Championship and it is the drivers who decided the rest,” he concluded.
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