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CARLOS SAINZ NAMES TWO RIVALS FASTER THAN MAX VERSTAPPEN ONE-LAP

Carlos Sainz says Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are faster over one lap than Max Verstappen in 2025. The Ferrari driver believes Verstappen retains his race-day advantage over his rivals.

Carlos Sainz names two rivals faster than Max Verstappen one-lap
Creator: NurPhoto | Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images

Max Verstappen is not the fastest driver over a single lap in 2025, according to Carlos Sainz, who names two competitors he thinks are quicker.

Despite lacking a superior car, Verstappen has more pole positions than any other driver in the 2025 Formula One season.

Sainz, though, thinks Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc are marginally superior in qualifying.

Over a race distance, the Spaniard continues to believe Verstappen has the advantage.

Sainz began his Formula One career at Toro Rosso with Verstappen and has since been teammates with all three drivers. 

Verstappen was outqualified by Sainz throughout their 2015 season together. 

In the early months of the 2016 season, Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull after outperforming Sainz in race trim.

During their two seasons together as McLaren partners in 2019 and 2020, Sainz and Norris were evenly matched in qualifying. 

In both seasons, Sainz outscored Norris on Sundays, giving him the advantage.

Leclerc outperformed Sainz in qualifying throughout their four seasons together. 

Leclerc won the head-to-head race because he was stronger than Sainz. 

In his debut season with Ferrari, Sainz outscored Leclerc thanks to his consistent point-earning.

Verstappen is slower than Leclerc and Norris.

Sainz believes Verstappen is somewhat slower than Leclerc and Norris in qualifying.

For a whole season, Leclerc has never been outqualified by a teammate and is considered the fastest driver in Formula One.

2025 could be the first time Norris is defeated in qualifying, as he lags Oscar Piastri in their head-to-head.

"The fastest in the race or over one lap?" asked Sainz in an interview with El Partidazo de COPE. Charles, over one lap. Lando and Charles would be involved. Max, over the race.

After that, Sainz was asked who would win the same car. According to the 31-year-old, knowing an established team well is crucial.

Depending on the vehicle we are driving, Max would obviously be the solution if it were a Red Bull.

It would be really tough for us to get into a Mercedes and outdrive Russell if we had one, since I believe he drives it extremely well. I would say the same thing about Albon and me if it were a Williams. The automobile is the main focus.

KIM KARDASHIAN AND LEWIS HAMILTON SPOTTED ON ROMANTIC EUROPEAN TOUR TOGETHER

Kim Kardashian and F1 star Lewis Hamilton are turning heads across Europe as insiders reveal Kim's "Russell Wilson" nickname.

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Kim and Lewis Hamilton spark a fly in London and Paris sightings

Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton are the latest celebrity duo making waves, and apparently, Kim’s already got a cheeky nickname for him. The two have been spotted out together in the Cotswolds, London, and Paris, just enjoying themselves and turning a few heads in the process.

Word is, Kim’s close friends are spilling a few details about this new romance. One insider claims Lewis isn’t looking to settle down right now, but Kim still has a special name for him—she calls him “her Russell Wilson”. If you know the reference, it’s a nod to NFL star Russell Wilson, who married singer Ciara after her high-profile breakup with rapper Future. Friends say Kim thinks of Lewis as a “sophisticated upgrade” from her ex, Kanye West.

Kim and Kanye—now legally known as Ye—were married from 2014 to 2021 and share four kids. Their co-parenting relationship is famously complicated.

Kim’s reportedly a bit anxious about how Kanye will react to her new thing with Lewis, considering Kanye and Lewis were friends back in the day. One source told the Mail, “They’re both cautious about Kanye’s feelings since he and Lewis go way back. Kim’s living for herself these days, but she doesn’t want to poke the bear. They know this could set Kanye off, so they’re keeping it light and just having fun for now.”

Kim and Lewis first crossed paths years ago at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Awards. Back then, they both showed up with their now-exes—Kim was with Ye, and Lewis was with Nicole Scherzinger.

Kanye even had Lewis over for Easter one year. He talked about it: “Lewis Hamilton’s over at my house, and we’re playing some music in my studio. We’re having Easter brunch—my wife’s family, my friends, everyone’s there. And everybody’s like, ‘What is this music?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Lewis Hamilton’s music.’”

Since splitting from Ye, Kim’s dated Pete Davidson and moved on. Kanye’s remarried, too—this time to Australian architect Bianca Censori.

Those two have been in the headlines a lot, usually for their wild fashion choices. Things got especially wild when Bianca showed up at the Grammy Awards in a see-through gown. She arrived in a black fur coat but ditched it to reveal a sheer dress that left little to the imagination. People at the event were definitely stunned.

FERRARI SF-26 COMPLETES 121 LAPS IN HISTORIC LEWIS HAMILTON-LECLERC BARCELONA DEBUT

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completed a "productive" 121-lap debut for the Ferrari SF-26 during 2026 testing in Barcelona.

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Lewis Hamilton delivers first verdict on Ferrari SF-26 after "challenging" rain

Ferrari kicked off its on-track work for the 2026 Formula One season with a steady first day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split driving duties in the team’s bold new car, and the whole thing felt like the start of a new chapter.

With the 2026 rules shaking up both the chassis and the power unit, Ferrari didn’t chase lap times. They zeroed in on checking systems, making sure their data lined up, and ironing out any reliability kinks. The weather threw a few curveballs—rain, some dry patches—but even so, they got through their plan and stacked up plenty of laps.

Leclerc seemed upbeat after his first taste of the new machine. He said it felt good to get back behind the wheel and start figuring out the car, even if the focus was just on systems and not raw speed. “We came here to understand how everything works,” he said. “With the weather mixed up, today was all about checks. We finished what we set out to do, and the car did what we expected. It’s a solid start and a decent base.”

Hamilton, now officially in Ferrari red, felt the same. For him, it was a busy day—lots of on-track time, plenty of new things to get used to—but he called it productive. “We got good mileage, learnt a lot, and didn’t hit any big issues. That’s what matters with so many changes coming in. This gives us a strong platform for the next few days.”

Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, stressed how important it was just to get through the day cleanly. “Given the conditions, it went well for us,” he said. Rain or not, they racked up the laps and—most importantly—avoided any real reliability problems. That’s the top priority when you’re shaking down a brand-new car and engine.

Performance talk? Still way too early for that. Right now, Ferrari’s just learning how this new car behaves, gathering data, and building up bit by bit as the days go on—keeping their focus squarely on themselves.

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