Carlos Sainz Declares Former Team McLaren “Favorite to Win” Amidst Fight With Red Bull

McLaren and Red Bull are locked in an intense battle for this year’s Constructors’ Championship. With the papaya outfit now holding a 41-point lead over Red Bull, Carlos Sainz believes his former team is the favorite to secure their first title in nearly 30 years.

In a conversation with Autosprint, Sainz said, “McLaren definitely have the upper hand. They are the favorites to win. We still have Red Bull in our sights and of course McLaren too. If they slow down or get into trouble, we have to hold on“.

Carlos Sainz: “McLaren definitely have the upper hand. They are the favourites to win. We still have Red Bull in our sights and of course McLaren too. If they slow down or get into trouble, we have to hold on.”

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Ferrari, Sainz’s current team, is also not entirely out of the championship fight, sitting just 34 points behind second-placed Red Bull with six races to go. While Ferrari could still catch Red Bull, given the Milton Keynes-based team’s recent struggles, McLaren appears to be operating on a different level at the moment.

Talking about the importance of Ferrari finishing second, Sainz added, “It would demonstrate the good recovery capacity of the team. After a difficult part of the year, in which we lost many points and the growth curve in the development of the car”.

Lando Norris demonstrated the full potential of the MCL38 last weekend in Singapore, securing a dominant victory by over 20 seconds ahead of title rival Max Verstappen. While McLaren holds the advantage in the Constructors’ battle, as Sainz himself acknowledged, the situation is quite different in the Drivers’ Championship.

Despite failing to win any of the last eight races, Verstappen still holds a comfortable 52-point lead at the top of the standings. Although Norris now appears to have the stronger car, his chances of securing his maiden title are no longer entirely in his hands.

As long as Verstappen finishes second in each of the remaining races, including the sprint races, he will secure his fourth consecutive championship, even if Norris were to win them all. The next challenge for both drivers will come in Austin, where Red Bull is expected to introduce a significant upgrade.