Top Gear star claims F1 EASIER than drivers claim

Carlos Sainz looks stunned as Jeremy Clarkson speaks in an interview with Sky Sports — Photo: © IMAGO

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Top Gear star claims F1 EASIER than drivers claim

The presenter believes F1 is getting easy

By Sam Cook.

Wednesday 3 April 2024 05:00

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has questioned the difficulty of Formula 1 following Carlos Sainz's Australian Grand Prix victory.

Sainz cruised to victory in Melbourne, brilliantly overtaking Max Verstappen before the latter suffered a rear right brake failure and had to retire from the race.

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The victory came just two weeks after Sainz was ruled out of the Saudi Arabian GP with appendicitis, being replaced by 18-year-old Brit Ollie Bearman, who shone in his place.

Sainz's remarkable recovery from his hospital bed to race winner in just two weeks has seen the Ferrari driver receive plenty of praise, with the phenomenal achievement showing that it's unfathomable that the 29-year-old does not currently have a drive for next season.

Carlos Sainz stormed to victory in Australia

Carlos Sainz struggled after appendicitis surgery

F1's difficulty questioned by Jeremy Clarkson

“Naturally, many people saw this as a heroic display of stiff-upper-lip determination and spunk.

“I wonder, though. We keep being told that these F1 cars are road-going fighter jets, that they are a volcanic orgy of noise and G-forces. And that you need to be superhuman to control one.

“Really? I only ask because Carlos, pictured in hospital, was plainly in some discomfort before the race but he seemed to manage for nearly two hours in the car.

“Which leads me to believe that walking up to a Formula 1 car is actually harder these days than driving it.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari F1 Carlos Sainz Ollie Bearman