‘If I was Vettel, I’d worry most about Sundays’

Mark Scott
Ross Brawn believes Sebastian Vettel is facing a "different kind of pressure".

Ross Brawn believes Sebastian Vettel is facing a "different kind of pressure".

Carlos Sainz Jr feels race days for Sebastian Vettel can be a “big worry” if Charles Leclerc can follow up on his qualifying pace on Sundays.

Leclerc outclassed Vettel at the Belgian Grand Prix and it is not the first time this season that Vettel has been overshadowed by his younger team-mate.

With victory at Spa, Leclerc closed to within 12 points of Vettel in the World Championship standings and the Monegasque driver is the favourite to make it back-to-back victories with a win at Monza this weekend.

And Sainz thinks Vettel should be worried about going up against Leclerc, especially on race day.

“If I was Vettel I would worry about Sundays the most,” Sainz told Spanish broadcaster Movistar, according to GrandPX.

“On Saturday, a young guy like Leclerc can beat him, but if Leclerc also has that pace on Sunday then it’s a big worry.”

Sainz also shared his thoughts on Lewis Hamilton and how Max Verstappen’s season compares to the World Championship leader.

“Hamilton, I give a 9 or a 10,” Sainz added.

“Since Rosberg left, he’s been at a very high level with less pressure. Verstappen is almost better, but at Spa he did the wrong thing.

“Bottas is always there, but he doesn’t finish it off. He is at a very high level, but Hamilton has something that is difficult to explain.

“He’s so relaxed, like he’s smoking a cigar.”

Sainz also expressed his displeasure at Formula One Management’s television coverage as they have a tendency to miss some of the race’s biggest moves through the field.

He said: “I get quite angry because when I watch the races back at home I do not see myself. They’ve missed important moments completely, like Austria when I went from 20th to eighth and they showed nothing.”