Carlos Sainz has claimed the second part of the 2024 season has shown multiple Formula 1 drivers can beat Max Verstappen “week in, week out” in more equal cars.
Verstappen secured his fourth successive Drivers’ Championship in Las Vegas last weekend as a fifth-place finish gave him an unassailable lead with two races to go.
The Dutchman had appeared on course to canter to his latest title success when he racked up seven victories in the opening 10 races to create a sizeable points lead.
However, Verstappen then embarked upon a 10-race drought as Ferrari, McLaren and even Mercedes capitalised on Red Bull’s waning competitiveness to scoop wins.
Verstappen, though, maximised his results during that period to protect his advantage and a sublime win from 17th in Brazil all but ensured he would retain his crown.
Verstappen has contended he would’ve bagged the championship earlier in the Ferrari or McLaren cars, citing Red Bull didn’t have the best package for “75%” of 2024.
But while he lauded his ex-team-mate’s accolade, Sainz believes the competitive picture since the summer break has proven others can operate on Verstappen’s level.
“As much as I think Max has done an incredible job this year,
it just shows in the second half of the season, eight drivers within a tenth of each other, we could all beat him week in, week out,” Sainz told media including Motorsport Week.
“He was extremely good at dominating with a dominant car and extremely good at not making mistakes the second half of the season.
“And that’s what’s given him, for me, driver of the year and the championship.
“But the second half of the season just shows that when we are all in equal, more of an equal machinery, we can all go up against each other and make each other’s life difficult.”
Verstappen not immune to pressure
Red Bull’s troubles reaching a low at the Italian Grand Prix saw Verstappen voice that the team had turned the most dominant car the sport had seen into a “monster”.
Sainz expressed that such outbursts were bound to happen once Verstappen began to be placed under more intense pressure than he had been earlier in the season.
“Everyone starts making mistakes when they’re under pressure and everyone starts complaining about their car and everyone starts complaining in the media about their car,” he explained.
“It’s all about pressure management and not having that margin.
“Whenever you don’t have a two, three tenths margin on your nearest rival or your team-mate, suddenly pressure ramps up and everyone is human.”
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