Several of McLaren’s rivals had “strong winter” – Sainz

What they say

Sainz named four rival teams he’s got his eye on this weekend:

I think McLaren ended the year where a lot of teams want to be which is leader of the midfield. So I would say we are the established ones and we have danger coming from behind. Which is Renault, Racing Point, Haas, AlphaTauri.

There are a lot of teams that actually did a very strong winter testing. There’s teams that have brought a lot of upgrades here.

So we don’t know really after testing, after these four months, what’s going to happen. Everything’s changed again. And I cannot wait to go to the track tomorrow and see where everyone is because it’s a big unknown for everyone.

Social media

Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:

This No. 66 Ruoff Mortgage Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet will speed onto the @IMS oval for the first time in August. We are ready. 👊#INDYCAR // #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/4EeHhejz7U

— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) July 2, 2020

New diary entry. #BLM pic.twitter.com/6MU9VEIMbb

— Daniel Ricciardo (@danielricciardo) July 2, 2020

• Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory

Links

More motor racing links of interest:

Horner: Formula 1 facing 'smash and grab' 2020 season (Autosport)

"It felt like Mercedes still are a sniff ahead. But it's all going to come down to the rate of development. And obviously Honda's evolution as well."

'F1 is still the goal,' for rejuvenated Deletraz (F2)

"The team estimated that around 80 points were lost due to failures and problems and that would have put me fifth of the championship. That’s where I wanted to be."

The secret aerodynamicist - are capes the key? (BBC)

"It will be fascinating to see whether Mercedes, Red Bull, and the other caped crusaders find themselves with better handling cars than their J vane-sporting rivals this year. If they do, expect to see a red car arriving at a grand prix wearing a cape in the not-too-distant future."

UN highlights urgent need to tackle impact of likely electric car battery production boom (UN)

"Demand for raw materials used in the production of electric car batteries is set to soar, prompting the UN trade body, UNCTAD, to call for the social and environmental impacts of the extraction of raw materials, which include human rights abuses, to be urgently addressed."

• Why F1 could give the internal combustion engine a stay of execution

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Comment of the day

Was the driver or the car the larger part of the reason why Vettel and Ferrari failed to win a championship together?

I think its a shame and I still think Ferrari themselves are more to blame for their inability to clinch a title than any one driver. They couldn’t do it with Massa, Alonso, Vettel or Raikkonen’s second stint and none of those drivers are poor. Ferrari have been generally outclassed technologically by Mercedes and operationally by Red Bull – it doesn’t matter who drives the car and now they seem to be sliding backwards than charging forwards.

Compared to his time at Red Bull Vettel seemed uneasy. Prone to larger mistakes, easier to provoke and unhappy with team choices. It’s a shame, because I think Vettel can achieve a lot more in F1, but he obviously will need a superior environment. Maybe he’ll find that if he goes to Renault, or Racing Point, or possibly Mercedes? It would be a shame to lose him.
Adam (@Rocketpanda)

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On this day in F1

• 15 years ago today Fernando Alonso gave Renault a home win in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours