Martin Brundle pinpoints one ‘final hurdle’ Carlos Sainz needs to clear to become world-class driver. Brundle eager to see Carlos clear one 'final hurdle'.

Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle feels that Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz needs to clear one “final hurdle” in Formula 1 to become a world-class driver, after which the Spaniard will be “on his way”.

There were high expectations for Carlos Sainz after the positive 2021 season, his first with the Maranello team, during which he impressed as a result of his consistency and ability to get the most out of each opportunity. However, this strong form has not continued in 2022: while his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc won two of the first three first events of the current F1 campaign, Carlos Sainz is still looking for his first Formula 1 win, as the Spanish driver also suffered a few setbacks of his own making this season.

Carlos Sainz has collected eleven podium finishes during his Formula 1 career, which means he is fast approaching the unwanted record currently held by Nick Heidfeld, who scored 13 top-three finishes but without being able to take a single Grand Prix victory. Last weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, the Spaniard showed his has the potential to fight with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, picking up the baton from Charles Leclerc as Ferrari’s leading contender and hounding the 2021 Formula 1 world champion for all his worth in the final laps of the Canadian Grand Prix.

For Brundle, Carlos Sainz’s first Formula 1 victory is very close, and once it takes place, the gates will open for the Ferrari driver.

“It was a masterclass drive from the reigning World Champion and now comfortable World Championship leader Max Verstappen, but Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari pushed him very hard for the last 15 laps,” Martin Brundle wrote in his usual post-race Sky F1 column.

“Carlos is like Lando Norris and George Russell in that he’s ready to win GPs but those victories just keep eluding him for varied reasons. I’ve always been a supporter of Carlos and sometimes I felt like a lone voice in the paddock, but he’s very good – especially during races. The final hurdle for him is to combine his talent, sheer determination, aggression and experience into greater pin-point accuracy and consistency. The car will then relentlessly travel forward rather than occasionally sideways, and as soon as he wins the first GP he’ll be away. It was great to see those two [Verstappen and Sainz] slugging it out.” – the Sky Sports F1 commentator added.

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At the end of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Carlos Sainz admitted that finishing in second place being the fastest driver in the race “hurts more”: “I am not satisfied,” he said. “It’s been too close to be satisfied. Especially with the pace I’ve had throughout the race, which has been very good. I have been very comfortable, all the time a little faster than Max.”