F1 | Sainz Hopes To Replicate Special Team-Mate Relationship At Ferrari
Carlos Sainz Jr hopes that, alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, he will be able to replicate his "special relationship" with former McLaren Formula 1 team-mate Lando Norris.
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At McLaren, Sainz spent two years racing alongside Norris, then left the team to join Ferrari for the 2020 season at the end of last year.
On-and-Off track, Sainz and Norris enjoyed a fruitful relationship.
In addition to helping to lift McLaren to third last year in the constructors' championship, marking their best finish since 2012, the pair were good friends away from the race track.
Sainz said that while it wa often difficult beacuse of the fierce rivarly to get on so well with your teammate, he felt it contributed to greater transparency and a close partnership that he hoped could be repeated with fresh Ferrari team-mate Leclerc.
Sainz told Autosport.com, "It makes it difficult in one way, because [Norris] is also very fast, and very easy-going, so you need to handle the two things, But it's also really enjoyable to have someone who after qualifying or a race, you are either happy or sad because he has beaten you or you have beaten him, but still coming to the race with a full open mind, not trying to hide anything from anyone. You are being sincere and honest to your opposition, to your team-mate, shaking his hand to congratulate him and recognise the job he has done and vice-versa. It's something that I think is a special relationship, and something that I'm willing to keep having in the future. It makes the working environment and the team a lot less under pressure. It just makes everyone's life a lot easier, and the team can move forward a lot quicker and in a better way."
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For the 2021 season, Sainz has replaced four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, marking the end of the often frosty Leclerc-Vettel partnership at Maranello.
As team-mates in 2019, tensions flared during their first season, most notably at the Brazilian Grand Prix when they collided on-track, causing both to withdraw from the race.
Next week, when Ferrari holds a private test at Fiorano using its 2018-spec vehicle, Sainz is expected to complete his first run alongside Leclerc.
Sainz said that they got on well and had already been talking about plans for 2021, exploring his relationship with Leclerc prior to joining up with Ferrari.
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Sainz says, "I would lie if I said I've not talked to Charles, Of course I have. Of course I am paying attention that what happens over there, and asking him questions now and then. Until you get inside the team, it's difficult to really understand and really tricky to know what is going on. My relationship with Charles actually is very good. I expect to get on well with him in the future. "
