Carlos Sainz Jr. says he hopes Renault will be able to deliver “a good surprise” with its engine, when Formula 1 pre-season testing begins next week.
Renault has struggled to consistently challenge Mercedes and Ferrari in Formula 1’s hybrid era, though has been buoyed by the developments it has made during the off-season.
Sainz Jr. raced for Renault last year and will retain a link with the manufacturer through his new position at McLaren, which took on Renault power for 2018.
“To be honest I didn’t have a chance to see much from the Renault side, especially as my deal with McLaren was announced in the summer,” he said.
“That was pretty early, so I didn’t have a look at where they were or where they were going.
“Everyone seems to be talking really nicely about that engine. I really hope it is what they are talking about and we have a good surprise in testing and we have that horsepower because definitely last year as a Renault driver we would have needed that horsepower to beat Haas more regularly.
“Hopefully it comes because it would really be a very big step for this team. For McLaren it would be a step for free that would already put us in a much more comfortable place.”
Sainz Jr. is entering his fifth year in Formula 1 and believes he is now in a position to be “ready for whatever challenge comes.”
“My results and my performances over the last four years speak for themselves,” he said.
“If you give every driver the same car I truly believe in myself and I believe I would be fighting for podiums every weekend, but if you’re not in the right car at the right moment, you’re not going to fight for the win. That’s how F1 works.
“But I think I’m in a great place, apart from the top three teams, McLaren has the pedigree that a driver like me, 24 years of age, wants to be [part of].
“Anytime soon, I hope McLaren is going to be back to the top and I want to be part of this family for a long time.
“No regrets at all, I’ve been performing very well in Formula 1 over the last four years and I’m ready for whatever challenge comes.”
