Carlos Sainz says two Formula 1 drivers are even faster than Max Verstappen ‘over one lap’

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Max Verstappen has scored more pole positions than any other driver in F1 this year. But despite that, Carlos Sainz still believes two of his rivals are better qualifiers.

Verstappen has bagged six poles in 2025, more than championship leader Oscar Piastri (five) and second-place Lando Norris (four) in what has largely been a dominant McLaren car.

Over his career as a whole, Verstappen has been more effective on Sundays. He has 46 poles in total, and while that’s still good enough to rank him fifth all-time, he’s third for race wins on 67.

When they were teammates at Toro Rosso as rookies in 2015, Sainz’s qualifying head-to-head with Verstappen finished level. It’s not as if qualifying is a weakness for the four-time world champion, but it may be the races where he truly comes alive.

Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris told they have the edge on Max Verstappen in qualifying

In an interview with El Partidazo de COPE, Sainz was asked to name the fastest driver in F1. He says the question needs to be split into qualifying and the race.

In a one-lap shoot-out, he would pick Charles Leclerc and Norris over Verstappen. But in a Grand Prix, he says the Dutchman reigns supreme.

Sainz is well-placed to make this judgement, having partnered both drivers. Martin Brundle has previously called Leclerc F1’s best qualifier, too.

The Monegasque is just outside the all-time top 10 for poles (27), but Norris (34th on 13) is a more surprising inclusion. Accounting for Sprints, he trails Oscar Piastri 14-7 in the single-lap duel this season.

Sainz said: “The fastest in the race or over one lap? Over one lap, Charles. It would be between Charles and Lando. Over the race, Max.”

When asked who would win if every driver was in the same car, he replied: “It depends on the car we’re driving, because if it’s a Red Bull, it seems clear that the answer would be Max.

“If we had a Mercedes, well I think Russell is driving the Mercedes very well, and it would be very difficult for us to get into a Mercedes and beat Russell. If it were a Williams, I’d tell you the same thing about Albon and I. It’s all about the car.”

Carlos Sainz says Red Bull were on Max Verstappen’s side when they were teammates

Sainz believes he could have beaten Verstappen in 2015 without a string of car failures. Perhaps his career would have panned out differently if so.

But in reality, Sainz says ‘everyone’ at Red Bull was pulling for Verstappen, having promoted him to F1 at the age of 17 in the belief that he was the sport’s next superstar.

As the table above shows, Sainz was shaded by Norris in qualifying over two years at McLaren, while Leclerc had a more comfortable advantage at Ferrari. The Monegasque is currently leading seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton 13-5.