Carlos Sainz has alerted both Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is among championship leader Lando Norris‘ best tracks in Formula 1.
Norris boasts a 12-point lead over Verstappen coming into this weekend’s title showdown, with McLaren team-mate Piastri also still in contention to come out on top.
The Briton’s prospects remain in his own hands as a podium will be enough to ensure that he’s crowned World Champion, no matter where his two main rivals end up.
And Norris has an exceptional record around the Yas Marina Circuit, having out-qualified his team-mate on all but one occasion on his previous six visits to the venue.
Sainz was beaten twice in his outings with McLaren, while Norris also denied his ex-team-mate a Constructors’ title with Ferrari when he won the race 12 months ago.
“I do have an interest [in the title fight] obviously, and I will be following very closely,” Sainz began to media including Motorsport Week.
“I think everyone knows how well I get on with Lando and obviously I wish Lando the best possible outcome in that sense.
“I also have a lot of respect for Max and Oscar and I wish them the best. But I think Abu Dhabi is a Lando track.
“It’s good for him the finale is in Abu Dhabi, which, from my experience, being his team-mate here, is one of his best tracks at driving and the win he took last year in front of me still hurts.
“He dominated last year’s race in front of me and I knew it’s a Lando track and it’s a McLaren track, so I think he plays with that advantage.
“Still, going into the last weekend, having to finish on the podium is never easy, even if you drive a McLaren and I think he needs to execute a perfect weekend, and I believe, given how well he’s responded under pressure recently, I think he can do it.”
Norris hasn’t got quicker, but more well-rounded since F1 debut
Sainz has reasoned that Norris’ pace has been undisputed since he debuted alongside him at McLaren in 2019, but he has since matured into a more complete driver.
“I think at the time, obviously, what I saw immediately from Lando was an unbelievable skill to drive the car at the limit and put together really good qualifying laps,” he said.
“I’ve been team-mates with Charles [Leclerc], Max, Lando. I’ve been team-mates with all the top guys in the grid by now, and I can tell Lando has nothing left in his tank in terms of speed. I think speed is as quick as anyone and quicker even than anyone on his good day.
“I think what he’s developed the most is that consistency through the year, being strong in tracks that maybe he wasn’t that strong in his first couple of years versus me.
“Now, when I look at his driving and how strong he is everywhere, he’s developed that skill that comes with more experience, which is to be quick in every circumstance, in every track.
“Now he’s more of an all-rounder for sure than what he was in the first two years, but I don’t think he’s any quicker than those two years.
“When you arrive to F1, you’re as quick as you can get and then it’s all about developing the skills of how to be quick in every type of corner or in every type of track.”
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