Carlos Sainz’s results setting him up for ‘supporting role’ to Charles Leclerc, says Martin Brundle

Sainz has bagged two podiums this season but had a disaster at the Australia GP

(Getty Images)

Carlos Sainz may have to play a supporting role for his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc due to the 2022 results so far, says Martin Brundle.

Sainz has finished on the podium twice this season but a horror weekend in Australia saw him score no points for his team. Leclerc, meanwhile, has won two races and finished second in the other. The Ferrari man has recorded the best opening haul of points for the team since Michael Schumacher’s start to the 2004 campaign.

Brundle says Sainz may have to help Leclerc to the title if he cannot win a race at the next few events.

“Leclerc has stepped up to a higher plane, delivering speed with consistency and seemingly always a half-a-step ahead of this car, rather than close to the edge of the car’s limit and the occasional heavy shunt as we’ve seen in the past,” he wrote for Sky Sports. “The new regulations suit him and he’s developed confidence and increased self-belief.

“Two pole positions, two wins, a second, and three fastest laps in three races rather confirms that.

“His teammate Carlos Sainz had the weekend from hell, missing out on a solid qualifying lap when his friend Fernando Alonso caused a red flag by crashing due to technical issues, and then with further engine starting dramas not delivering a representative lap.

“He may well end up having to play a supporting role to Leclerc from here, depending on how the competition shapes up and if he can win the next couple of races, which is not out of the question.”

Sainz was fully aware of his “disaster” weekend which saw him retire from the race in Melbourne.

“We haven’t been great this weekend, it’s been a bit of a disaster,” Sainz said. “So, we have to learn from it, and I was the first one to make a mistake.

“It should be better. We just need to make sure we don’t do the kind of mistakes we have been doing this weekend with the problems I had on my side of the garage and stay a bit more patient when we need to be patient. The car is there to win every race.”