May 1, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Williams driver Carlos Sainz (55) looks on from the paddock at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

formula-1

Carlos Sainz Admits Max Verstappen is One of the Best Drivers in History!

Carlos Sainz appreciates Max Verstappen's rapid progress hailing him as the one of the best in history

May 1, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Williams driver Carlos Sainz (55) looks on from the paddock at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen go back together for a long time in Formula racing. Verstappen and Sainz made their debut at Toro Rosso in the same year. Sainz was a part of the Red Bull Junior driver program. Carlos Sainz did not stick around with the Bulls for a long time however. He could only spend two seasons with Verstappen before switching teams.

Over the years in Formula 1, Carlos Sainz has made a reputation for himself a brilliant strategist and driver during a Grand Prix weekend. After a fairly successful stint with Ferrari, Sainz is racing for Williams F1 in the 2025 season. With the buzz surrounding Max Verstappen, there is a general idea of him being much more dominant compared to his teammates. Here’s what Carlos Sainz thinks about his former Toro Rosso teammate.

Carlos Sainz Talks About Max Verstappen and His Teammate Woes During Podcast

It is a well known fact in the Formula 1 community that Max Verstappen is currently shouldering his team like a burden. The Dutchman is the sole reason that Red Bull Racing is still among the top-4 teams in the championship standings.

In fact, Max Verstappen is the only Red Bull driver fighting for wins and podiums. When we look at the Red Bull Racing’s roster, his teammates have been failing to reach the same level as him. At this point, Red Bull Racing is single-handedly dependent on the Dutchman for any good results.

Sainz reveals why Racing Bulls 'has always been a playground for Marko and Horner':

— Carlos Sainz reflected on his time at Toro Rosso, now Racing Bulls, where he debuted in Formula 1 alongside Max Verstappen in 2015. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Sainz described the… pic.twitter.com/yAeI7Z0nqj
— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) July 15, 2025

Speaking about his former teammate in the High Performance Podcast, Carlos Sainz says-

“Exactly, I think everyone’s having a really tough time being Verstappen’s team-mate. I can only say that when I was Max’s team-mate, I didn’t have this tough time. I was obviously incredibly surprised with how quick he was, with how he’s an insane driver. He’s probably going to go on to be one of the best-ever in history, if he’s not already one of the best-ever in history.”

“But that first year together since then, has given me the confidence to know I can be up against anyone. I’ve been team-mates with Charles, Lando, with Nico Hulkenberg. “

Sainz himself is still confident about his career in Formula 1. After his move to Williams in 2025, there was a lot of chaos regarding his future. But, Carlos Sainz’s goal is to compete with the guys on top. He may not be having a good season with his new team in 2025, but he has made a lot of contribution to Williams F1 nonetheless.

Carlos Sainz Jr.

Formula 1

Formula 1 2025 Season

Max Verstappen

Rohan Singh

nhl

I work as a Writer at The Playoffs specialising in NHL, Formula 1 and Motorsports. I got into online journalism a couple of years ago. I used to be an intern for a website managing their Formula 1 content and then I served an entire year as a contractual writer.