De la Rosa warns Sainz against partnering Alonso

Pedro de la Rosa reckons Carlos Sainz heading to McLaren to partner Fernando Alonso is anything but a “dream” move for the young Spaniard.

According to Formula 1’s rumour mill Sainz could be heading to McLaren next season, replacing the under-fire Stoffel Vandoorne.

Should he make the move, he will partner his good friend and mentor Alonso.

De la Rosa, though, feels it is anything but a good move for the Renault driver.

“A dream? I think it would be better if they were not together,” he told Cadena Ser radio.

“Being Fernando’s team-mate is very difficult, so I prefer that someone other than Carlos suffers.

“I would prefer if Carlos gathers two or three more years of experience and then face a beast like Fernando.”

To date, though, McLaren is the only team aside from Renault that Sainz has been linked with.

De la Rosa, however, says he shouldn’t worry about that as he deserves to be in Formula 1.

“If Renault makes the mistake of letting Carlos go, he has still earned his place in F1,” said the former driver.

Follow us on Twitter @Planet_F1 and like our Facebook page.