Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz Jr. feels 2017 has been his “strongest” campaign in Formula 1, having finished in the points in seven of the 11 Grands Prix.
Sainz Jr. has scored 35 points this year – five more than at the corresponding stage 12 months ago – with a best finish of sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Sainz Jr., who is poised to remain with Toro Rosso into 2018, with his desired route to Red Bull still closed off, reckons he is performing at his highest level since he graduated to Formula 1 in 2015.
“I think it has been my strongest season in Formula 1 up until now so I’m obviously very happy with it,” explained Sainz Jr.
“I had reliability problems in qualifying at Silverstone, and in the race in Austria, and the accident at Silverstone was out of my control.
“If you take away those two [events], and you see my whole season, I think I can be very pleased.
“It’s not an easy year in the midfield and I think I’m still ninth in the championship, behind the two Force Indias, that are very, very strong, so I think I cannot complain at all.”
Toro Rosso entered the second half of last season with the knowledge that it would gradually slip behind its midfield rivals due to its use of a year-old Ferrari power unit.
This season Toro Rosso is equipped with current-year Renault engines, but Sainz Jr. has dismissed suggestions that such a factor will boost the team’s chances, believing its greatest gains can come from the STR12 chassis.
“Obviously we know that from the engine there’s not going to be many developments also this year, so in a way it’s [using a current engine is] positive, but not a lot,” he said.
“On the other hand we know that we have a lot of margin of improvement with the STR12.
“The team is working hard [at the factory] in Bicester and I’ve heard good things about its potential for the second half of the season.
“So I want to keep faith, and keep faith [that] we will get back into Q3 more regularly.
“I know it’ll be difficult with the tight midfield, but we need definitely more favourable tracks and a bit of development.”
Toro Rosso holds sixth position in the Constructors' Championship, two points behind Williams.
