“Don’t Ever Do That to Me Again”: Carlos Sainz Left Bamboozled by Charles Leclerc’s Mexico Track Challenge

F1 drivers can brave just about any challenge out on the track, but what happens if they press the brake button but the car starts going faster? Thankfully, no one has had to find that out to date — except for maybe Carlos Sainz, thanks to his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc was overseeing a Mexico City GP challenge that Sainz was partaking in on the simulator. The rules seemed pretty straightforward — complete a lap around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

That was until Leclerc revealed that Sainz’s brake pedals had been inverted, as had his upshift and downshift. “This is the most difficult thing I have done in my whole life,” Sainz said (as posted on Ferrari’s YouTube channel), as he struggled to have things fall in place.

There were parts of the track where Sainz accidentally put his car on neutral and also broke the engine, by downshifting to fourth gear while being flat out on fifth. Leclerc, who was standing next to him, was not being too helpful, with backseat commentary on his teammate’s proceedings.

Sainz completed the lap eventually and did not do too badly. This wasn’t just the Madrid-born driver’s judgment, as even Leclerc admitted that he put in a commendable shift. He clocked in a time of 1:29.00 — 12 seconds slower than the real-life record at the Hermanos Rodriguez, set by Valtteri Bottas in 2021.

Nonetheless, Sainz would not want to be a part of this track challenge once again any time soon. “Don’t ever do that to me again,” the 30-year-old concluded, pointing to the filming crew.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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