With the start of the 2026 season approaching, Carlos Sainz has undertaken the always tricky task of predicting the future world champion. The Spaniard's answer, brief but striking, has already intrigued the paddock.
Carlos Sainz: "No... you can't."
When asked which driver could win the title this year, Carlos Sainz did not hesitate to mention two very specific names: George Russell et Max Verstappen.
« I'll say two names… George Russell or Max Verstappen ", did he declare.
This stance has not gone unnoticed. On the one hand, Max Verstappen remains the recent benchmark in the discipline, capable of extracting the maximum from its single-seater regardless of the regulations. On the other hand, Georges Russell embodies the ambitions of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Teamwhich hopes to regain its dominant position with the new technical regulations of 2026.
But it's what happens next in the exchange that's most intriguing…
When the interviewer then said to him: May I ask you to explain this?
, Sainz cut immediately short:
« No… you cannot. »
Why such a refusal?
In the paddock of the Formula 1Drivers often have valuable clues after winter testing. The data collected, the long runs observed, and engine performance can already reveal certain trends. So, Sainz Did he spot anything during the Bahrain tests?
Or is the Spanish pilot simply bound by a certain discretion?
The teams of Formula 1 are indeed very strict about their drivers' communication. Any statement that could reveal the true pecking order or give an indication of an engine's performance could be frowned upon internally. In this context, the curt response of Sainz could reflect more than just caution: a desire, or an obligation, not to reveal what he actually observed.
One question remains: if Sainz He refuses to explain his reasoning; is it because he doesn't know any more... or precisely because he already knows too much?
One thing is certain: if the two names he mentions are georgeges Russell and Max VerstappenPerhaps the first answers for the 2026 season are already in the paddock.
