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Carlos Sainz remembers his early years in F1 at Toro Rosso, how he was left mentally “exhausted” and why he thinks the Red Bull driver development programme still did great things for his career.
Carlos Sainz shared insights on the mentally demanding and intense nature of Red Bull’s junior program, highlighting how the pressure helps shape future Formula 1 stars. As a Red Bull academy graduate, Sainz debuted in F1 in 2015 with Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen. He described the intense internal competition within the team, emphasizing the need to outperform teammates to secure a future in F1. While acknowledging the program’s ruthless reputation, Sainz praised its effectiveness in nurturing top F1 talent like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Despite the challenges, he reflected on the intense and rewarding experience of competing against Verstappen during their time at Toro Rosso. Sainz recalled the high stakes and relentless drive to outperform his teammate in every session, highlighting the intense pressure and focus on detail that defined his early F1 career.
