Carlos Sainz has named Max Verstappen and Lando Norris as two drivers whose onboard footage he always attempts to observe from among his current Formula 1 rivals.
Verstappen dominated the most recent campaign, winning a record-breaking 19 times out of 22 races en route to securing his third consecutive Drivers’ Championship.
Sainz, who partnered Verstappen at Toro Rosso in 2015, revealed how he studies video content of the Dutchman’s work behind the wheel in a bid to replicate his actions.
But aside from the reigning champion, Sainz has also listed Norris, whom he competed against at McLaren for two seasons prior to making the move across to Ferrari in 2021.
“I think there are always drivers doing different things on the on-boards,” Sainz told Spanish outlet DAZN in an interview.
“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.”
Aside from those two and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, Sainz also notes that he can extract lessons from the Mercedes drivers and Spanish compatriot Fernando Alonso.
“Also Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are two great drivers,” he added. “Obviously also Charles Leclerc because he is my team-mate.
“And then also Fernando Alonso, but especially his race performances.”
Sainz capitalised on Ferrari’s improvement from a tough opening to 2023 and Red Bull’s rare absence from the front in Singapore to convert pole position into the race victory.
It marked the 29-year-old’s second career win, having ended his prolonged wait to stand on the top step of the podium in F1 at the 150th attempt at Silverstone last season.
While he accepts his maiden triumph holds more emotional value, Sainz states his Singapore success was more rewarding as he and Ferrari took advantage of the limited opportunity to deny Red Bull a clean sweep.
“If I had to define this season in one word, I would say Singapore,” he assessed.
“The truth is that I was going very fast, even without perfect laps. I was getting my full potential out of it. And I knew that for the last lap of Q3, going as fast as I was going, I could make pole position.
“And then in the race everything went perfect and that gives you a happiness, a satisfaction with yourself, that very few things give you. And like Singapore, I’ve never felt more fulfilled, more satisfied with the performance of a weekend.
“The victory at Silverstone in 2022 is more emotional, the one where you fulfil a dream, which is to win. The Singapore win in 2023 is more like the satisfaction of having done everything perfect.
“There have been practically one or two opportunities to beat Red Bull this season. One was Singapore and the other was Las Vegas.
“In Singapore the opportunity presented itself and we took it. We didn’t miss. And that makes me proud of myself and proud of the team as well. Knowing that when there have been opportunities, we have taken them.”
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