Max Verstappen’s all-time greatness in qualifying has been partially dismissed by Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard said the Red Bull driver is not the fastest on the grid in a single lap in 2025, picking out two opponents he believes are slightly better, his former Ferrari and McLaren teammates Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris respectively. However, Sainz was clear: Verstappen remains the best when it comes to race pace.
In an interview with El Partidazo de COPE, the Williams driver was asked to choose the best driver, dividing his answer into two parts. “The fastest in the race or in a lap? In a lap, Charles. It would be between Charles and Lando. In the race, Max,” was the 31-year-old’s statement. Sainz, who has been teammates with all three drivers, thus confirmed Leclerc’s reputation as the fastest Formula 1 driver in qualifying, as the Monegasque has never been beaten by a teammate in an entire season.
Asked who would win if everyone drove the same car, Sainz avoided choosing, explaining that the technical environment is decisive. “It depends on the car we drive, because if it’s a Red Bull, it seems clear that the answer would be Max. If we had a Mercedes, George Russell drives the Mercedes very well, and it would be very difficult for us to go in and beat him. It’s all about the car,” he stressed.
Leclerc and Norris may be getting a vote of confidence from Sainz, but Verstappen has the most pole positions in this year’s Formula 1 championship, without having a dominant car. With his fastest performance in qualifying in Baku, Verstappen has lined up his RB21 on the front row of the grid six times, while Norris, with the fast MCL39, has managed to prevail in Saturday’s proceedings four times and Leclerc just once, in Hungary.
