Sainz says Q2 lap probably his best ever
Carlos Sainz says the lap that secured him a place in the top 10 in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix was probably his best ever.
Carlos Sainz Jr., Scuderia Toro Rosso STR11
XPB Images
The Toro Rosso driver, who had not been in Q3 since the Singapore GP, put on a superb flyer late in Q2 to advanced into Q3 with the sixth fastest time despite his car's lack of top speed on the long straight of the circuit.
"You don't get to do these laps often, so I'm happy with that," Sainz said. "I think one of those I will remember from 2016."
When asked if it was his best ever qualifying lap, he said: "Probably. I know it was a very good lap."
The Spaniard admitted reaching the top 10 was never in Toro Rosso's plans ahead of the weekend.
"A huge surprise. I think we have been 14th, 15th, 16th in the last qualifying on tracks like this so to arrive on a track with a very long straight and make it into Q3 was something that we didn't expect but we are very, very happy about it."
Sainz, however, believes starting from 10th and thus not having the option to choose his strategy will actually play against him.
"I think so. The guy starting P11 first of all has the strategy flexibility and second has the clean side of the grid," he said.
"Force India should be ahead of us on race pace and on race strategy so points tomorrow will be very difficult.
"We were definitely coming here already planning with the flexibility for the strategy and we don't have that flexibility with the strategy, so we need to go back and look at the options we have now."
He said, however, that he would not swap his position for a worse lap.
"I wouldn't change it, even if my strategy is 20 seconds slower than the others I'll keep this lap."
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
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