10 Weeks After Ugly Duel With Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Rubbishes Rift Rumors With a Scathing Warning

When Carlos Sainz was a kid, he had a poster of Fernando Alonso on his wall. He admired the 2-time world champion who put Spain on the F1 map. The now Ferrari driver even met him at his first Spanish GP as a child in 2005, when Alonso was on his way to glory. Now as time shifts, both Spaniards have found themselves battling each other for positions on the track. This season, with Aston Martin’s performance leap, Carlos Sainz & Ferrari find themselves constantly in such battles with Fernando. Although, is that causing any rift between the two drivers?

In the Australian GP, Sainz spun Alonso’s car in a chaotic race restart. While Carlos was evidently angry about the resultant penalty, he had no intention of starting any conflict with his idol. Even the Aston Martin man sympathized with Sainz while denying any sort of hard feelings. Although, even 10 weeks after this fiasco, several speculations have been made that the Ferrari driver seems to be jealous of Alonso’s rising popularity in F1.

Clearly, Fernando’s impeccable podium run has made him the story of the season. He is garnering a lot of spotlight as the lead Spanish driver in F1. Regardless, Carlos has denied any such rift with his hero. According to Speedweek, he stated, “Our relationship is good and that was neither the first nor the last duel that we will have on the track.”

While, there is utmost respect between the two Spaniards, Sainz ain’t going to cut Alonso any slack in on-track battles. He made a warning-like statement saying, “When we lower our visors, we all want the same thing, and everyone fights for themselves. That’s the beauty of racing – as long as there’s a certain respect between the drivers, there’s no problem.”

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Sainz also understands why Alonso is more popular than him in Spain. After all, he is a legend who has inspired many young drivers like Sainz. He is also having a great season with Aston Martin, scoring five podiums so far. He concluded by saying, “There is no problem between Fernando and me, although some seem to be trying to construct a rift.”

Carlos Sainz & Fernando Alonso: The Spanish Connection

Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso may be rivals on the track but are great friends off-track. They share a common passion for racing and a common pride for their country. They showcased this camaraderie at the Spanish GP during the national anthem.

Carlos & Fernando stood for the Spanish national anthem ahead of the race with hands over each other’s shoulders. It was such a wholesome sight & a treat to watch for the Spanish fans. While the grand stands were packed with green color for Alonso & Aston Martin, Sainz gave them some hope of glory.

Before the race, he had hoped to make it special as he was even starting on the front row. Carlos has stated, “It would be very special. Especially if one of us is on the top step.” While the Ferrari man had a peek to take the lead on Lap 1, the rest of the race did not pan out ideally.

Sainz and Alonso have come a long way since their first meeting in 2005. They have grown from fan and hero to rivals and friends. They have shown that Spain may shine again in F1.

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