Toro Rosso doesn’t need Red Bull to create good car

Hailing the impact of Toro Rosso technical chief James Key, Sainz says he believes that the Faenza-based team can by itself build a chassis good enough to challenge its rivals.

At the same time, he thinks that any input coming from the senior team will be useful to Toro Rosso, as any positions gained in the constructors' standings will only bring more money for development.

"I don’t know how much Red Bull is willing to give us," said the Spaniard when asked how much Red Bull's help would be worth for next year.

“I don’t think we need Red Bull to create a strong chassis, because we have shown in the last couple of years that James and his team are strong enough to build a very decent chassis.

“But every little bit of info that comes for Red Bull could help us. How much they are willing to give us? Maybe you need to ask Helmut Marko.

“I am sure, the [Toro Rosso] chassis can be strong [for 2017]. You just need to get right the important points of next year, which still no-one knows I think.

“At the beginning in winter testing, we will see different solutions and different approaches, we just need to make sure that the ones that we took are right from the beginning."

Key has "long-term" future with STR

Key's future was subject of much speculation earlier in the year, as the British engineer was linked to Ferrari following James Allison's sudden departure from the Italian squad.

However, Sainz is confident that Key will remain with Toro Rosso for the foreseeable future.

“As far as I know, James Key is contracted with Red Bull and Toro Rosso for a long-term period which I think is fundamental," said Sainz.

“I think Toro Rosso, even if it’s a team where you need to develop drivers and give them a couple of years and change them, I still think they need a very experienced line-up for next year.

“Because it is not an easy change in the regulations there’s going to be. I am already doing all the simulator programme for next year, I am spending days in the simulator developing our car for next year.

“So it sounds like Toro Rosso will always be the B-team for Red Bull, trying to develop drivers, but Toro Rosso is playing for a lot of money, when you say P5 or P6 in the championship.

"And I know that the points I could manage to get this year with a second year of experience is not the same that I managed to score last year."

Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble