Breaking news
Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP
Sainz dismisses "hype" over losing Norris qualifying battle
Carlos Sainz has dismissed the "hype" that surrounds intra-team qualifying battles, after losing out to McLaren teammate Lando Norris 11-10 this year.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Nov 30, 2019, 7:44 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Norris set the seventh fastest time in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, two positions ahead of Sainz, to end the year with the advantage over his teammate in terms of who has started ahead the most.
But Sainz has downplayed the significance of that tally, especially because there have been occasions – like the last race in Brazil – where he has not been able to properly qualify because of engine change penalties.
Asked if it was frustrating that the tally between him and Norris had been so close this year, Sainz said: "From my side it's not frustrating. Actually I think it's great news for a team to have a guy that pushes you all the way through the year.
"I think Lando has done a great job in qualifying. This year he's been very quick at every point during the season.
"I think you guys look a bit too deep into these numbers because there's always two or three qualifyings a year where someone is unlucky, you don't even take part in qualifying because you have an engine penalty.
"So honestly these 21 races, there's so many things that happened. I think you guys give this battle a big, big hype and it's sometimes you don't even take part in three qualifiers and you put it as 3-0 for someone."
Norris also moved to play down the importance of the 11-10 qualifying tally, saying the thing that mattered more to him was how good a job he did himself, rather than comparisons with Sainz.
"That is not the thing I'm happy about or disappointed about," he said. "The thing that I get unhappy with, like in other races and so on, it's just when I've done a good job or a bad job, it's not who I've beaten or not beaten.
"The times when I've been annoyed was Singapore and Japan when I've made a mistake, and it's cost me one or two positions.
"So the reason I'm happy is because I didn't make any of these big mistakes, I put the laps together and yeah, it put me ahead on the Renault by two hundredths so that's what I'm happy with.
"It's not that I've outqualified anyone or not qualified anyone. It is just the fact I did a better job with my laps and my own performance. So, that is the main thing."
Read Also:
- Abu Dhabi GP: Hamilton grabs final pole of 2019
- Bottas battling illness during Abu Dhabi weekend
- Abu Dhabi GP: Starting grid in pictures
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Wolff "totally okay" if Hamilton has had talks with Ferrari
Next article Former AMG boss Piedade dies aged 75
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Carlos Sainz
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
What the drivers are expecting from F1's return to Sepang
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
What the drivers are expecting from F1's return to Sepang
More from
McLaren
The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend
WEC
WEC
Barcelona
6 h
The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Latest news
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 30 min
Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
1 h
Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 2 h
Dale Jr. explains why he doesn't use 'Earnhardt' in his signature
NASCAR to allow brake rotor and pad changes after Phoenix qualifying
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
3 h
NASCAR to allow brake rotor and pad changes after Phoenix qualifying
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe