Alonso as a Teammate Would Be the Biggest Ask – Carlos Sainz

Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jr has said that it is a big ask to be Fernando Alonso’s team-mate in F1.

Sainz grew up watching Alonso in his prime and watched him wrap up 2 consecutive titles. Currently, the older Spaniard is weighing up whether to continue in F1 after this season.

So far, several rumours linked them as possible team-mates next season. Especially since Alonso is keen on McLaren bringing Sainz into the fold.

In the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sainz was asked about the prospect of partnering Alonso.

He said: “I don’t know, because I haven’t even thought about it, as still it’s not happening.

“I’m ready to beat anyone in the field. My racing spirit and my competitiveness and my self-confidence tells me that I can take over anyone.

“Probably Fernando would be the biggest ask that you could have on the grid, that’s for sure.

“But yeah, I would feel ready for anything.”

Prior to Hungary, Sainz said that nothing would change until the situation became clearer at Red Bull. In other words, he was banking on Daniel Ricciardo’s decision on his future.

Right on cue, after Hungary, Ricciardo penned a new deal with Renault. This means that Sainz has been forced out of Renault. Now his only options are Red Bull or a different team.

With regard to partnering Alonso at McLaren, it is a romantic notion given the friendship between the two Spaniards.

Earlier this year, the younger Spaniard confessed that fighting Alonso on track was not something he would have imagined. Especially when he started his career. He believes that the experience has furthered his racing education.

“I think since I arrived in F1 I have started next to him in nearly every race, which is quite strange,” he said.

“It’s something I didn’t expect, because you would expect Fernando to be fighting for world championships instead of fighting with me in the midfield at the beginning of my career.

“But what I feel particularly proud of, and particularly happy [about], is that these few years I’ve been taught by the best. I don’t feel I’ve been driving in the midfield.

“I feel like I’ve been driving for world titles, because simply to be up against Fernando in every race, also Jenson [Button], when he was in McLaren, it’s been a great feeling.

“That is what it makes me feel ready for whatever comes.”