Carlos Sainz Banks on Max Verstappen Doing “Something Strange” as He Searches for Unlikely Spanish GP Win

Carlos Sainz will start the 2023 Spanish GP from P2 on the grid behind championship leader Max Verstappen. Even though Verstappen will be in a much better car, the Spaniard insists that he will go for the win, and is hoping for the Red Bull ace to do something “strange” at the start of the race.

For both Ferrari and Red Bull, the qualifying session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was filled with contrasting emotions. Verstappen and Sainz will lock out the front row, but their teammates Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc will start from P11 and P19 respectively.

Sainz was happy with his performance in front of his home fans on Saturday but doesn’t want to stop there. He wants to go for a podium result. And in case Verstappen makes a mistake, will be ready to capitalize on it and get his first win of the 2023 season.

Carlos Sainz aiming to jump Max Verstappen in turn 1

Verstappen was always the favorite to get pole position for the race and is widely expected to win it too. Sainz, however, is pumped up to perform at the highest level in front of his home fans. Last year, he missed out on a podium place in Barcelona after a spin cost him precious time, but on Sunday, he has another golden opportunity ahead of him.

Speaking to the media ahead of the race, Sainz revealed that he will go all out in turn 1 to try and maintain his position. Since overtaking Verstappen on raw pace could prove to be difficult, he is banking on the 25-year-old making an error at the start in order to pass him. This would put him in contention for a potential race win.

“Obviously I will try to give it all in Turn 1,” Sainz said as quoted by Ferrari News. “And go and get that podium. And if Max does something strange, get a win.”

So far, Sainz has just one race win in his F1 career which came at the 2022 British GP. There won’t be a better place for the Madrid-born driver to win his second outing, than in front of his home supporters at the Spanish GP this weekend.

Misery for Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc

While Sainz’s side of the garage was jubilant about their P2 finish, Leclerc’s side drowned in misery. The Monegasque driver failed to make it out of Q1 for the first time since 2019, and was absolutely devastated. Leclerc appeared to be struggling with the car during all of his Q1 runs.

After the session, Ferrari decided to investigate Leclerc’s SF23 to figure out what went wrong. The mechanical problems he encountered surprised the Scuderia’s mechanics because his car got the same upgrades which Sainz did. While the latter went on to qualify in second, Leclerc could only manage P19.

Nevertheless, Leclerc and Ferrari will be hoping for the SF23 to show good race pace, and for Sainz to hod on to a podium result, in order to leave the Spanish GP with a strong points haul that will help them close the gap to Mercedes and Aston Martin ahead of them.