His future for 2019 has yet to be decided but Carlos Sainz has no inhibitions about going up against anyone in Formula 1, including countryman Fernando Alonso.
The 23-year-old is no longer part of Renault's plans for next season following the works outfit's decision to sign Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
Sainz most likely options include a return to the energy drink company's family and a drive alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, and a transfer to McLaren where he could join forces with Alonso, his teenage idol and friend.
Regardless of where he ends up, Sainz feels confident he can deal with whoever will be sitting on the other side of the garage, but admits having Alonso as his team mate would not be without its challenges.
"I'm ready to beat anyone in the field," Sainz said in Hungary recently.
"My racing spirit and my competitiveness and my self-confidence tell me that I can take over anyone.
"Probably Fernando would be the biggest ask that you could have on the grid, that's for sure. But yeah, I would feel ready for anything."
However, Alonso's own future is up in the air, and many believe the two-time world champion will call it a day on his F1 career and move on to greener pastures.
"Of course Carlos is potentially on the market, we don’t know his exact situation at Renault and Red Bull, but he’s certainly someone that as you go down the shortlist of drivers you’d consider putting in a race car," recently said McLaren boss Zak Brown
"If he was free, and if we had a seat, he would certainly be high up on the consideration set."
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