Credits: IMAGO / Crash Media Group

Over the years, Carlos Sainz Sr. and Jos Verstappen have been rumored to have a heated rivalry because of their respective sons, who both compete in F1. Their sons – Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen – however, seemingly busted these rumors after a recent revelation during a press conference.

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Max and Carlos were talking about how dangerous their fathers’ rallying exploits are after the Japanese GP. They both agreed that they are more worried about their fathers than they are about themselves before suiting up for an F1 race weekend. Debunking the rumors surrounding any rivalry between their dads, Sainz Jr, told Verstappen something interesting.

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“You know, two weeks ago, I think at the Bahrain Test, your dad was showing my dad accidents and moments,” Sainz said. “So now they are sharing their accidents and moments.” 

It was a wholesome interaction between the two former Toro Rosso drivers, who made their debut in F1 together in 2015 for the same team. Between them, things never looked too tense, but reports suggested that their fathers rarely saw eye to eye.

Rumored rivalry between Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen

In 2015, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz were just finding their feet in the sport. Their fathers Jos and Carlos Sr., like any father would, wanted the best for their sons. This is why they both reportedly created a tense environment within Red Bull, asking the team to favor their son.

Eventually, Red Bull decided to choose Verstappen over the Spaniard, leading to the latter’s departure from Toro Rosso and the Austrian stable altogether in 2017. Now that reports are linking Sainz to the Red Bull seat once again, people are wondering if the old rivalry between their dads may reiginite.

However, going by what the two drivers exchanged after the recently concluded Japanese GP, there may not be a rivalry anymore. They were in the same team nine years ago, and both drivers have gone through a lot since then. Additionally, Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen are not young talents anymore. They are stars in the world of Formula 1, which is why their fathers’ involvement is no longer essential.