Carlos Sainz recently discussed McLaren’s trajectory following his departure from the team at the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season. The Spanish driver, now with Williams, reflected on McLaren’s position in the years immediately after his move to Ferrari.
Sainz joined Ferrari for the 2021 season, replacing Sebastian Vettel. His initial years with the Scuderia saw him secure his maiden pole position and first Grand Prix victory at the 2022 British Grand Prix. He added further wins in Singapore in 2023 and in Australia and Mexico City during the 2024 season.
During this period, McLaren experienced fluctuating fortunes. In 2021, the team finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, achieving one win and five podium finishes. However, 2022 saw a decline to fifth place in the standings, with Lando Norris securing their sole podium.
Sainz’s comments, made on the ‘Beyond the Grid’ podcast in March 2026, highlighted this contrast. He specifically referenced McLaren’s performance in 2023, stating that they were ‘almost dead last in the Qualifying of Bahrain’ while he was achieving victories with Ferrari.
‘No. And I tell you, why not? Because first of all, in 2021, in Ferrari, I achieved my first podiums of my career. In 2022, I won my first races and in 2023, while I was still winning races in Ferrari, McLaren were still almost dead last in the Qualifying of Bahrain. I would have thought back then, ‘I would be winning races with Ferrari’.’
The landscape has significantly shifted since then. McLaren has undergone a substantial resurgence, culminating in Lando Norris securing the Drivers’ Championship in 2025 and the team winning the Constructors’ title in both 2024 and 2025.
For the current 2026 season, McLaren fields a strong driver lineup of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Despite a challenging start to the year, the Woking-based outfit has demonstrated significant performance improvements with recent upgrades.
Norris has secured back-to-back victories at the Hungarian and Dutch Grands Prix, placing McLaren third in the Constructors’ Championship with 263 points as of late August 2026. This places them 162 points behind current leader Mercedes.
Sainz, who moved to Williams in 2025 after Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari, recently signed a new multi-year contract with the Grove-based team, extending his commitment until at least the end of the 2027 season. He acknowledged that had he remained at McLaren, he might now be contending for a World Championship.
However, Sainz maintained that joining Ferrari was the correct decision at the time, an opportunity he felt compelled to accept. He views his current role at Williams as a similar rebuilding project to McLaren’s journey in 2019 and 2020.
Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, has also shown progress in the 2026 season, securing two Grand Prix victories. Hamilton has praised the team’s technical cohesion and development efforts this year. However, Ferrari continues to address a power unit deficit compared to Mercedes.
