After nearly three seasons in Toro Rosso, Carlos Sainz moves to Renault where he will drive by the end of the year and next season – we look at the best five races from Spaniard driving for Toro Rosso.
Sainz scored almost all points for Toro Rosso this season (48 of 52 points, 92.3%), just like Hulkenberg in Renault, who won all 34 points for the French constructor.
Renault will surely welcome Sainz, who should help them to beat as many teams in the last four races as possible and possibly finish fifth.
Let’s look back at five of the Spaniard’s best drives since his debut for the team in 2015.
Australian GP 2015. – start: 7th, finish: 9th
In Carlos Sainz Jr’s first grand prix, all the talk was about his teenage teammate Max Verstappen as many questioned the 17-year-old’s eligibility to be on the grid at such a young age. Engine trouble meant Verstappen did not even make the chequered flag while his Spanish teammate drove a mature race to make it into the points on debut in ninth place. Sainz admitted afterwards he had hoped for better having qualified in an impressive eighth place making thereby earning raised eyebrows for both Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers at the season start.
USA GP 2015. – start: 20th, finish: 7th
In Carlos Sainz Jr’s first grand prix, all the talk was about his teenage teammate Max Verstappen as many questioned the 17-year-old’s eligibility to be on the grid at such a young age. Engine trouble meant Verstappen did not even make the chequered flag while his Spanish teammate drove a mature race to make it into the points on debut in ninth place. Sainz admitted afterwards he had hoped for better having qualified in an impressive eighth place making thereby earning raised eyebrows for both Scuderia Toro Rosso drivers at the season start.
Brazilian GP 2016. – start: 15th, finish: 6th
When the Scuderia Toro Rosso failed to get anywhere near to Q3 at last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, his pace and position in 15th on the grid suggested a difficult 71-lap race lay ahead at Interlagos. But then the heavens opened up, causing a concertina effect on the field and Sainz was able to show what he was capable of. The Spaniard scythed through a litany of cars in front of him, thanks in part to a decision to keep him on the extreme tyres rather than an early switch to the intermediates. Afterwards, he said: “I love the rain, I’ve always been strong in the wet.”
Monaco GP 2017. – start: 6th , finish: 6th
Scuderia Toro Rosso had been two seconds off the pace at the preceding race in Spain but Sainz conjured up a magical lap in Monaco to park in sixth place after qualifying without any major new parts on the car. It was a position he maintained to the finish matching his previous best in the sport. All the more impressively, sixth place was achieved despite Lewis Hamilton breathing down his neck a place back in seventh for much of the latter part of the race. It was perhaps no surprise that Sainz later described it as “the perfect weekend”.
Singapore GP 2017. – start: 10th, finish: 4th
Just days after it was announced that Sainz’s time at Scuderia Toro Rosso was coming to an end with an impending switch to Renault, he pulled off the highest race finish of his career, just missing out on a podium spot in fourth place. Sainz was helped by a stunning start to a chaotic race in which he charged his way past Sergio Perez, Jolyon Palmer, Stoffel Vandoorne and Esteban Ocon. Forced to defend his position on super soft tyres while others chasing were on ultra soft tyres, Sainz understandably described it as the best race of his career. He added: “We finished fourth, which is incredible, unthinkable.”
Source: Red Bull
