Sainz: People were wrong to think Max would destroy me

According to some, Toro Rosso rookie Carlos Sainz has been the revelation of the 2015 Formula 1 season thus far and a big plus is that he has stepped out of the shadow of Max Verstappen’s hype.

The build-up to the Spaniard’s debut season in Formula 1 was totally overshadowed by Verstappen, who at 17 is the youngest driver in F1 history and already compared by some to the great Ayrton Senna.

But Sainz, the ‘other’ Toro Rosso driver with a famous father, has actually scored more points than Dutchman Verstappen so far, and in Barcelona was hailed for qualifying fifth.

Verstappen was announced as a Toro Rosso driver long before Sainz was signed-up by the Red Bull owned team, and for a period it was not sure that the Spaniard would be in Formula 1 this year.

“I don’t know if I am the revelation of the year,” he smiled when asked by Diario Sport newspaper, “but the start for me has been positive and I think I have surprised a lot of people.”

“Now I have to continue at this level because the same people forget very quickly,” he added.

But he is relieved that, after all the Verstappen hype, he has managed to make a mark in 2015, “We have all seen how good Max is.”

“It was not exaggerated, but just because he is good does not mean I am not as well. These first races have shown the people who thought that he would destroy me,” mused Sainz.