Sainz doubts virtual racing at home benefits F1 rivals
McLaren driver Carlos Sainz believes there is no real benefit from spending as much time sim racing at home as his Formula 1 teammate Lando Norris does.

Briton Norris is renowned for the amount of time he spends in his home simulator, revealing he had learned about Red Bull driver Max Verstappen's approach to racing from competing online with the Dutchman.
The two F1 rivals have even teamed up for a number of high-profile online events, and have won the iRacing 24 Hours of Spa earlier this year.
While Sainz says he spends "plenty" of time in the McLaren simulator, the Spaniard doesn't feel Norris's extra time driving at home gives him an edge in the real car.
"I do plenty of simulator at the factory but the rest I try to spend a lot of time outdoors. I'm an outdoors guy and I enjoy a lot driving real cars, like rally cars," Sainz told Motorsport.com.
"If they would benefit from it, then Lando would be quicker in the simulator in McLaren than me. But he's not. So I don't think they benefit from it."
Read Also:
Sainz reckons five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is not a fan of using simulators or doing track walks before a race weekend, is the perfect example of how extra time in the simulator is not necessarily beneficial.
"I haven't seen anything from Lando that I haven't seen from Lewis. That doesn't explain time in a simulator, If you know what I mean," Sainz added.
"I think Lewis is a good example of… he just comes here and drive and then the rest of his life he does something completely different, and he's a good as Lando or Max or even better."
Norris admitted he is now unable to spend as much time in his home sim as before given his busy schedule.
"A lot less now than what I used to. Even when I'm home, I still don't spend as much time on my simulator as I used to, more because I'm driving now more than ever - or maybe not ever, but compared to last year at least.
"Now when I'm home, as much as I still drive on my sim, it's even nicer to not be driving on it and just have days when you do nothing."
Additional reporting by Scott Mitchell

Previous article
Alfa benefitting from lack of turnover and ART's "DNA"
Next article
Verstappen: Power tracks no longer "painful" for Red Bull

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Carlos Sainz Jr. , Lando Norris |
Teams | McLaren |
Author | Pablo Elizalde |
Sainz doubts virtual racing at home benefits F1 rivals
Trending
The Silver Arrows Story: Mercedes W09
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years