Current Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz Jr (is he dropping the Jr now?) may be the first rookie to come into F1 already demoralised and thinking his team do not believe in him. Sainz was number 1 in the Red Bull Driver programme and completely aced his season in WSR 3.5 and pretty much cruised his way to the title. Despite all of this it must have been a crushing blow to him when it was announced that Max Verstappen, who had been in the Red Bull Driver Programme for 2 weeks, was announced at Toro Rosso F1. Sainz was not happy and his form did drop off probably out of pure frustration. However Vettel's sudden departure to Ferrari opened up another space in the Toro Rosso team but even then Red Bull waited a good 3 months before announcing Sainz in the seat.

In 2013 Sainz lined up in GP3 and was considered by some as the favourite for the championship. His team had major issues with the tyres early on which left them struggling and coming back from behind. Sainz never got on terms with the front runners that year which would not have been that big a deal had his team mate not been fellow Red Bull driver Danii Kvyat. Kvyat stormed from way back in championship to win the GP3 2013 title which of course led him to be bumped up to Toro Rosso F1 and now of course will be taking on the challenge of the main Red Bull team for 2015. It will hard for Sainz not to think of what might have been as going in to 2013 he was considered in front of Kvyat in the pecking order and had he had better form in 2013 it might be him sitting in that seat now. Sainz issue was that whilst he was quick he appeared to be an accident magnet. He would find himself in the pack and whilst he was exciting to watch with some great overtaking moves he would more often than not end up running into someone.

To Sainz's credit he went away over the winter and fixed all those issues and came back a far more complete driver to take on the WSR 3.5 2014 season. Whilst he had some great tussles with Mehri and Rowland his title was really not in any doubt. He was cool, calm and exceptionally quick which made it all the more of a shock when Red Bull passed him over for Verstappen. He got a reprieve with the drivers market shuffle which I happen to think has meant a great miscarriage of justice was averted as he really has shown his potential this year but you have to ask yourself what his attitude will be coming into a team he has to think don't really want him that much.

I'm hoping that all the politics will mean he will come in with a steely attitude to make Verstappen look like an amateur but I get the feeling he won't help but notice the sympathetic glances from JEV as they pass each other going through the revolving door of Toro Rosso. It appears that however good your results are in that team it all comes down to whether they rate your or not.

Are we looking forward to seeing Sainz or do we think he is a lost cause already?
 
This is unlike Sainz who must be really frustrated by the whole weekend and his chances of getting into a top car has not risen against other contenders around

One other note is Toro Rosso drivers - the longest stay with the team was 3 years which was Vergne who was subsequently dropped and has not looked like getting back into F1.

Sainz is far too talented to end up on the scrapheap
 
teabagyokel I assume 12 months after he obtained them.

Il_leone I can only see him moving to Renault after this season but of Rowland wins the GP2 championship he'll take Palmers seat.
We also don't know if Ricciardo/ Verstappen might move to Ferrari as Raikkonen will not be with them after this season although it seems unlikely that Vettel would want such strong teammates. But a move from one of them would leave a Red Bull seat open to him.
 
That is an interesting rumour. If Renault's pace at Silverstone is indicative, then that would be a great move for Sainz, plus Hulkenburg serves as a very credible yardstick against which he could be measured.

It would end the Kubica rumours though.

Red Bull need to be careful what they wish for; it is not a good sign for the Red Calves (?) if the best they have to offer to Toro Rosso is Kvyat and Gasly. Horner or Marko really need to tie Ricciardo and Verstappen down if that's the case.
 
i dont know part of me that doubts that red bull would be so accommodating. espically after the uncalled for telling off that Sainz got from horner & marko saying he will be at toro rosso next season. when he was completely right in what he asking for. how long would they like to stuck in a dead end team, which its not just 2018 could be 2019 & 2020, red bull team seems sown up for a long while

although he was renualts 1st choice for 2017 back in Japanese gp
 
I can't see Verstappen leaving Red Bull yet. Sainz to Renault is a good move by both Sainz and Renault.
 
It just shows Carlos Sainz has always been in Verstappen's shadow within the Red Bull camp and the last few weeks I think he is just reminding the team that he is much better than a Toro Rosso.

If the rumours are true than at least he is joining a team who appear to be the up and more noticeably moving forward and holding back Red Bull so it could a shrewd move by Carlos

I don't know if Carlos will able to bring Spanish sponsors seeing Renault seem to want a more French national team
 
Romain Grosjean is the only French driver to drive for the works Renault team during the twenty-first century. Romain Grosjean is the only French driver to drive for Team Enstone during the twenty-first century.

The last French driver to start a season for a works Renault team was Patrick Tambay in 1985, which was less recent than this photo of a Spanish driver winning the drivers' title in a Telefonica sponsored Renault.

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Tambay...... wow, a name I had forgotten . I was so young, and impressionable. And F1 was so exciting. Or was it.
 
I'll be clear. Renault do not any longer sign drivers just because they are French. As a corollary, they don't refuse to sign drivers because they are not French.
 
The nationality/team thing is very over played. Ferrari have barely ever gone for Italians, I can't remember when Renault last ran a Frenchman. Other than Hamilton and Button Mclaren haven't exactly gone out of their way to Brit's. Yes Merc ran some Germans but their factory is in the UK and they are run by two Austrians. Red Bull once ran an Austrian.

It's all rubbish.
 
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