F1 News
Zak Brown says McLaren atmosphere better than Toro Rosso for Carlos Sainz
Zak Brown says that the atmosphere around McLaren has allowed them to get the best out of Carlos Sainz, adding that at Toro Rosso the Spaniard never got comfortable enough to show his true potential.
Sainz finished sixth in the drivers' standings in 2019 in a brilliant year for him and McLaren and Brown believes it is due to the feel around the team.
He told Spanish newspaper Marca: "Carlos has been excellent with us so far.
"At Red Bull-Toro Rosso he always had contracts for one year. Red Bull Racing is a great team, but it can be a tough environment for drivers there. I think Carlos is a driver who wants to know that the team supports him, and that the next race is not his last. That is the kind of atmosphere that is sometimes created at Red Bull."
How good can Sainz get at McLaren?
Helmut Marko recently said that Sainz was a good driver, but nothing like Max Verstappen, so Sainz could be out to prove Marko wrong. He showed plenty of promise in 2019 and with a second year at the team about to commence, we could see more performances like the one in Brazil, where he claimed his first podium position.
Of course, a lot depends on McLaren's continued improvements. 2019 was their best for some years and if they can keep catching the top teams, Sainz will certainly be a part of that.