Carlos Sainz never felt slower than Max Verstappen, Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc. Carlos felt “appreciated” by every team.

Scuderia Ferrari Spanish driver Carlos Sainz confirmed that he has always felt appreciated by the teams he has raced for during his Formula One career, despite the fact that some fans and media do not think of him as a world class driver of his generation.

Carlos Sainz moved to Scuderia Ferrari from McLaren at the start of the current season, replacing four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and has impressed in his first year alongside the Maranello team: Carlos is currently sixth in the Drivers’ Standings with 116.5 points, very close to the performance of his Ferrari Charles Leclerc, who is right behind him on 116 points.

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In a recent interview for the German media, the Spaniard confirmed that he has never felt slower than any team-mate he has raced against in Formula 1.

“If you sign a Ferrari contract, you must have done something right in your career. I’ve always felt appreciated by all the teams, from Toro Rosso to Renault to McLaren, even when I left them. If the public think I’m in the shadows there, I wonder why. No matter who I’ve raced against so far, whether it’s Max [Verstappen], Nico [Hulkenberg], Lando [Norris] or Charles [Leclerc], I’ve never felt I was slower than them or couldn’t do something they can do. I’ve beaten them all and always pushed them to the limit. I see that as an accolade. Max, Lando and Charles are among the top guys in the field, even by my own estimation.” – Carlos Sainz said, as reported by Auto Motor und Sport.

At the same time, the Spanish driver added that he does not feel the need to be “afraid of anyone”, because Carlos trusts his abilities to challenge any driver on the current grid in an equal car: “I like the challenge of racing against them and they have made me a better driver. That also gave me the confidence that I could take on anyone when I joined Ferrari. If I integrate properly in the team and set up the car properly, I don’t have to be afraid of anyone.” – Carlos Sainz concluded.