F1 | McLaren is growing visibly, but has anyone noticed Carlos Sainz?

Behind the top of the class there is a void. Yet, slowly but steadily, the Renault-powered McLaren is growing rapidly. The MCL34 is proving to be a versatile single-seater, competitive on every type of track, sensitive to the developments brought by the team and in the second year the PU Renault seems to marry perfectly with the chassis, so much so that as a customer team Woking has double the points of the official Renault team (a real disappointment for the French).

Much has been said and much will be spoken about the star Lando Norris, a very young driver with exceptional numbers, gifted with great speed on the flying lap and propensity for wheel-to-wheel, who has also demonstrated that he already knows how to race in a mature way, despite the fact that these in 2019 are his first GPs. Too often, however, at the same time, the contribution of Carlos Sainz is almost snubbed, a driver in his fifth year of F1 and complete, probably also ready for important results.

Carlos was a real market coup for McLaren, because the English team found a driver capable of guaranteeing an important haul of points, as well as with an at times impressive performance. Although some qualifying went so-so in the race the Spanish son of art seems truly worthy heir of his mentor Fernando Alonso. All claw and pace, a "classical" long distance rider who is a real hammer, among other things not prone to mistakes and tough in close duels.

Sainz is confirming that he too belongs to that group of talents who deserve the most competitive single-seaters. The Spaniard comes from a streak of five useful results, including two sixth and two fifth places. Indeed, fifth place in the Hungarian GP was a small masterpiece of tenacity and race pace, with the satisfaction of having kept Gasly's Red Bull behind, not at all a given considering the difference in performance between the first three single-seaters of the Circus and the Others.

Carlos himself is the first of the others, the bittersweet title that is usually given to the seventh in the standings, the first placed behind the usual six. Sainz and McLaren currently represent a really interesting combination, and give the idea of ​​being able to grow further together, perhaps reaching the podium as soon as possible. It would be a welcome return for a noble team like McLaren and a deserved achievement for an all too underrated driver. Already; why do top teams often race with second drivers who are not up to par and don't give a chance to a driver who has demonstrated that he has all it takes to be a winner?

Antonino Rendina

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