Carlos Sainz reveals surprise F1 driver he studies 'a lot'

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Sainz reveals surprise F1 driver he studies 'a lot'

Carlos Sainz has been studying the work of various drivers for his own development

Cal Gaunt

Wednesday 20 December 2023 10:57

Carlos Sainz has revealed that - despite the dominance of Red Bull and Max Verstappen - he extensively studies the on-board footage of his former McLaren team-mate, Lando Norris.

In the quest to challenge Red Bull's supremacy in the upcoming F1 season, every team faces significant adjustments, given Red Bull's remarkable 21 wins out of 22 in the previous season.

Sainz, who secured the only victory from outside of the Red Bull ranks at the Singapore Grand Prix, acknowledges Verstappen's excellence but places a particular emphasis on analysing Norris for his own personal development.

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Norris, continuing with McLaren next year, showcased his best season to date in 2023, achieving seven podium finishes with McLaren's impactful upgrade program transforming the MCL60.

Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are good friends away from racing

Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz were previously team-mates at McLaren

Sainz: I watch Norris a lot

“I think there are always drivers doing different things on the on-boards,” Sainz told DAZN.

“To tell you the truth, I obviously always look at Max Verstappen because he’s the one who’s usually the fastest to try to get close to what he’s doing, but I also look a lot at Lando Norris.

“I know how good he is, the different things he tends to do on each circuit.

“Also Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are two great drivers. Obviously also Charles Leclerc because he is my team-mate. And then also Fernando Alonso, but especially his race performances.”