Carlos Sainz has suggested that things are somewhat more open at Toro Rosso in the wake of Max Verstappen's departure to Red Bull earlier this season.
Tensions had been building in the team at the start of the season between Sainz and Verstappen, especially with the Dutch teen's robust attitude towards resisting team orders..
It reached the point where Red Bull motorsport consultant Dr Helmut Marko even suggested that the friction between the pair had been one of the key factors in deciding to swap Verstappen with Daniil Kvyat between the two sister teams.
Sainz resisted that idea, but did concede that there had been a more harmonious atmosphere at Toro Rosso since Verstappen had left.
"Maybe everything is a bit more open, everyone started working a bit more together, maybe started working in more of a team," he told Autosport this week.
"When you have two strong team-mates, there will always been some friction between the two drivers," he added. ""It was not that I was not liking it. We had to deal with it but I didn't see it as a bad situation."
But Sainz rejected the idea that his recent improved form was linked to Verstappen's exit, pointing out that it was greater consistency and reliability as well as avoiding on-track incidents in races since the Spanish Grand Prix that had been behind an upturn in his performances.
Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost agreed that things were less tense since Verstappen's departure, but linked that to Kvyat's struggle to fit back in with the teams and suggested that the temperature may start rise again over the summer if the Russian regains his form and starts to apply pressure on Sainz.
"Currently we have quite an easy life because Carlos is ahead," he told Motorsport.com.. "I expect that it will change as soon as they will come closer together and then they will fight each other at the track and then they will touch or whatever. The usual story. This is how it is."
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