Carlos Sainz, the Spanish Formula 1 driver currently competing with the Williams Racing team, did not hold back in a recent interview. Still striving to find consistency on track with the Grove-based squad, Carlos Sainz appeared as a guest on the High Performance podcast, where he openly addressed several key issues that continue to shape — and sometimes distort — the world of Formula 1. Among the topics discussed were his departure from Scuderia Ferrari, the challenges he is currently facing at Williams, and the controversial aspects of modern Formula 1 that he admits are still difficult for him to accept, despite his deep passion for the sport.
One of the key themes he explored was the overwhelming influence of politics within the Formula 1 paddock. According to Carlos Sainz, the level of political interference in Formula 1 surpasses that of any other sport: “I’m pretty sure that no other sport is as political as Formula 1. Football might be political too, but not to the same extent as F1. For some reason that I still don’t understand, politics matter so much here. I won’t hide it — it’s the part of this sport that I really hate,” he told High Performance.
Drivers No Longer Chosen Solely for Talent
Later in the conversation, Carlos Sainz highlighted another issue that has long raised eyebrows among fans and insiders — the criteria behind driver selection. He claimed that Formula 1 teams today do not always select their drivers purely based on performance or skill: “When a team has two drivers, it’s not always about the talent anymore. That only accounts for around 80% of the decision. The remaining 20% is now about the driver’s sponsorship deals or personal funding. That can make one driver more attractive than another.”
According to Carlos Sainz, this shift means that success in modern Formula 1 is no longer solely dependent on speed or on-track performance. Instead, financial backing and marketability now play a significant role in shaping a driver’s career path: “It’s no longer just about performance or aspects related to pure driving speed. It’s about money. And I feel like this only happens in Formula 1,” the former Ferrari driver stated with evident frustration.
Still in Love with the Sport Despite the Flaws
Despite his clear criticisms and concerns about the current state of the sport, Carlos Sainz made it equally clear that he remains deeply committed to Formula 1. He emphasized that, despite the many imperfections he sees, it remains the sport he loves and the place he wants to be: “But I know that Formula 1 is the sport I love, and nobody is perfect. The sport itself is not perfect in many ways, but it’s my life, and it’s where I want to be for the next few years,” he concluded, reiterating both his affection for and frustration with the modern Formula 1 landscape.
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