Martin Brundle has backed Carlos Sainz to secure his debut F1 victory once he overcomes the "final hurdle". The Spaniard put pressure on Max Verstappen in the lead during the final laps of the Canadian Grand Prix, but the Dutchman didn't make a mistake and held on to claim his sixth win of the 2022 season. Brundle believes that Sainz has found himself in a similar situation to some other drivers on the grid as he looks to break his duck. "It was a masterclass drive from the reigning World Champion and now comfortable World Championship leader, but Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari pushed him very hard for the last 15 laps," Brundle wrote in his column for Sky Sports . "Carlos is like Lando Norris and George Russell in that he's ready to win GPs, but those victories just keep eluding him for varied reasons."
Brundle has felt like a "lone voice" supporting Sainz
Brundle admits that he has long believed in Sainz, and expects him to be on a roll once he has developed an additional accuracy and consistency. "I've always been a supporter of Carlos and sometimes I felt like a lone voice in the paddock, but he's very good – especially during races," Brundle continued. "The final hurdle for him is to combine his talent, sheer determination, aggression and experience into greater pin-point accuracy and consistency. "The car will then relentlessly travel forward rather than occasionally sideways, and as soon as he wins the first GP he'll be away." The former F1 driver enjoyed watching Verstappen and Sainz "slugging it out", following on from what was a slightly mixed-up grid due to the effects of rain, as well as the likes of Charles Leclerc taking grid penalties. Sainz and Leclerc finished the race in P2 and P5 respectively, and Sainz has boosted his points tally in fifth place in the championship standings. Leclerc, meanwhile, remains in third, and has closed in on Sergio Perez in second after the Mexican retired from the race in Montreal.
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