Carlos Sainz has defended his countryman and mentor Fernando Alonso, amid claims ’bad decisions’ have marred the Spaniard’s F1 career.
Like many of his peers, rookie Sainz considers Alonso the very best driver on the grid.
"With Fernando, you know he will do a perfect qualifying, a perfect start, a perfect first lap, every lap of a grand prix within a tenth. From Fernando you can learn everything and then some," the Toro Rosso driver is quoted by UOL Esporte.
However, some believe that notwithstanding 33-year-old Alonso’s talent, he has made some poor careers choices since winning his only two titles with Renault.
Indeed, his first move to McLaren was ill-fated, he returned to Renault amid the French marque’s demise and then failed to win a title over five years with Ferrari.
And Alonso is now struggling at the back of the field with McLaren-Honda.
"I’m surprised he can be as happy as he is," Nico Rosberg told the Spanish daily AS. "Whenever I see him he is happy.
"Good for him, but it seems quite strange because he has always been fighting and now he cannot even score points," the Mercedes driver added.
Sainz, however, said it would be wrong for anyone to suggest Alonso is guilty of making poor career choices.
"I think it is impossible to say of someone with two titles and three runner-up years with Ferrari that they make bad decisions," the Toro Rosso driver said.
"There are simply times when you are not at the right place at the right time. I think if anything he was unlucky," Sainz insisted.