Sainz convinced Red Bull chance will come

Verstappen will race for Red Bull from this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix after Daniil Kvyat was moved down to Toro Rosso just five races into the 2016 season.

Sainz, who partnered Verstappen at Toro Rosso in 2015 and in the first four races of 2016, admits he would have liked to be in the Dutchman's position, but he reckons his opportunity will come if he keeps on performing.

"Frankly, when I heard that they were moving Max up, I'm not going to lie, I would have liked it to be me," Sainz told Spanish reporters on Wednesday in Barcelona.

"You obviously want it to be yourself who moves to Red Bull, but then when you think about it quietly and I see it more and more in a positive way.

"In the end, in Red Bull's plan or in my own plan, Red Bull was never a target for 2016, so it's not like anyone has failed. My goal is still to be with Red Bull in 2017 or 2018.

"In the end they analyse the results better than anyone and they know what I'm capable of. They have been comparing me with Max for one-and-a-half years and they know what I can do, so if he got the chance it means that if I turn the speed that I've shown so far into results, the opportunity can come at any moment.

"I know that if I do well, I'll have my chance too."

Verstappen move could be boost

The Spaniard suggested Verstappen's exit from Toro Rosso might actually be positive for him, as he concedes the Dutch star often drove attention away from his own achievements.

"The goal is still the same, and my personal situation doesn't change," he added.

"It's true that with Max there was a lot of media attention and there were results from me that were camouflaged by things he was doing, but that didn't affect me and I'm not going to let me affect me."

Despite his demotion, Sainz is expecting Kvyat to be a very strong teammate at Toro Rosso, for whom the Russian drove in 2014.

"I've known him since we were 12 or 13. We have been fighting on track since we were very young," he said. "I don't think I need to tell you he is a very good driver.

"He's moving down from Red Bull, but it doesn't mean he has lost talent or anything like that. He's still as strong or better than when I met him in GP3.

"You can't forget he outscored [Daniel] Ricciardo last year, that he has one more year of experience than me, that he knows the team, and all that is going to mean he's going to be a very tough rival.

"I'm sure we'll be a good line-up and we'll help Toro Rosso finish fifth in the constructors' championship."

Additional reporting by Jacobo Vega