Sainz says being on football-style loan feels "strange"
Carlos Sainz says being on loan from Red Bull to Renault is a strange situation because it is more common for a footballer than a Formula 1 driver.
Photo by: Andrew Hone / Motorsport Images
The Red Bull protege switched to Renault from the energy drink company's junior team Toro Rosso for the final four races of 2017 and is contesting the entire 2018 season with the French manufacturer.
While it is not uncommon for big manufacturers to place young drivers at smaller teams, Sainz is now a fourth-year grand prix driver who moved to Renault as part of the deal switching Toro Rosso's customer engine supply to McLaren.
Sainz told Motorsport.com: "I've not heard of many drivers who are on loan, it's more of a football term.
"It's a bit of a strange situation, I'm a special case at the moment. That's why I can't let it get into my head.
"I need to just do what I was doing at Toro Rosso, having a good race every time I go out on track, and then things fall for themselves, like it did at Toro Rosso.
"Who would have told me when I was at Toro Rosso that this year I would be at Renault? No-one. It is a very special situation."
As part of the arrangement Red Bull is still able to recall Sainz if it decides it wants to promote the 23-year-old to its senior team for 2019.
Sainz's ex-Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen has already committed to Red Bull for next season and beyond but Daniel Ricciardo's future is uncertain.
Should Ricciardo re-sign with Red Bull, Sainz will be free to commit to Renault on his own terms.
"I'm trying to impress myself," said Sainz. "By that I mean I'm really looking forward to having a full season with a team. I'm going to keep it open, keep performing the way I've been doing.
"Things will sort out for themselves, normally if you perform well good things are coming.
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
The driver who can wreck F1's 2020 silly season
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Sainz: Leclerc start battle "cost us a lot" in F1 Chinese GP
FIA dismisses Aston Martin protest over China F1 qualifying
Why Mercedes, Red Bull and Aston Martin should try to sign Sainz for 2025
What could have been: When Villeneuve’s shock return thwarted an F1 rookie
Ricciardo: Time running out to sort Abiteboul's tattoo
Why Renault's survivor wasn't part of Alpine's plans
Jaguar commits to Formula E until 2030
Crutchlow to get three MotoGP wildcards in 2024 with Yamaha
How 12 years late, Hulkenberg is finally getting his shot at a ‘big’ F1 team
Da Costa: FIA must "find another way" than disqualifying FE cars post-race
The F1 hero-to-zero dividing line that has never been so thin
How Stroll and Magnussen revealed the scale of F1’s racing and rules problems
Did F1's new sprint format work?
Chinese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2024
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments