Carlos Sainz: “I feel in my element”

Recruited this season alongside the Dutchman Max Verstappen, to compose a crew immediately placed in the spotlight at Toro Rosso, the Spanish Carlos Sainz took part last weekend in his first Spanish Grand Prix on the Barcelona track. Brilliantly qualifying fifth on the grid on Saturday, the 20-year-old driver was unable to maintain his position on Sunday.

“I couldn’t keep this place in the race, explains the Iberian. I managed to extend my stint on hard tires, which allowed me to attack in the last five laps. I first passed Max (Verstappen) for 10th place then Kvyat, before turn 1 on the penultimate lap. »

The son of the double world rally champion made his debut in the premier discipline perfectly with eight points already on the clock after the first five rounds of 2015. « I feel in my element. During the winter, I benefited from a good car to prepare myself and specific advice from the team. I don't think I could have had a better time than at Toro Rosso to understand the F1."

Find the full interview with Carlos Sainz, in the 2011 issue of AUTOhebdo, already available in digital version and on newsstands.