Carlos Sainz did not hide his irritation during the Miami Grand Prix of Formula 1 after a dispute with Max Verstappen. The Williams driver accused the competitor of forcing an aggressive maneuver during the race.
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The episode happened while Verstappen was trying to recover after spinning at the start of the race. While overtaking cars in the midfield pack, the Dutchman ended up involving Sainz in a maneuver that generated immediate complaints over the team radio.
“He pushed me out,” said Sainz. The Spaniard was direct in criticizing the behavior of the Dutch driver: “He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he is racing in the middle of the pack,” he said.
Despite the incident, Sainz managed to recover throughout the race and finished ninth, leading Williams in a double points result. The driver highlighted the consistent performance after a complicated start: “I had a good start, but some moments in the first lap put me at a disadvantage. Then I managed to recover and find a very strong pace.”
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According to Sainz, the car showed competitive performance compared to the midfield pack, although still below some direct competitors: “We showed a very good pace, faster than the rest of the midfield, but still a step behind Alpine,” he added.
The Spaniard acknowledged the team’s progress over the weekend but emphasized that there is still work ahead: “It was a big step forward, but we are not yet where we want to be. We have higher expectations and need to keep working hard to reach our potential throughout the season,” he concluded.
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