Carlos Sainz Jr. says it is “impossible” to perceive his impending switch to McLaren as a negative career move, despite the team’s lowly position in the pecking order.
Sainz Jr. moved from Toro Rosso on loan to Renault for 2018, and the team currently holds fourth in the standings as part of its long-term bid to return to title contention.
Sainz Jr., though, was not regarded as the primary contender for a 2019 Renault seat, with the team having lined up Mercedes-backed Esteban Ocon before securing the services of Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo’s exit from Red Bull opened a vacancy at the front-running outfit with which Sainz Jr. has been affiliated throughout his single-seater career.
But Sainz Jr. was not perceived as first choice for the seat and instead signed a two-year deal to replace Fernando Alonso at McLaren, the team currently three places below Renault in the standings.
Nonetheless, he rejected notions that winding up at McLaren is a negative outcome.
“I think it is impossible to be disappointed when you’re leaving a team to go with McLaren,” said Sainz Jr.
“It’s one of the dreams I had as a kid, and to be joining McLaren in the future is impossible to be unhappy.
“Yes I’ve been a part of the Red Bull family for a very long time, I always said Red Bull was one of my main objectives, but as a racing driver the McLaren family pushes you a lot and it impossible to be disappointed with that.”
Sainz Jr. added that his initial discussions with McLaren dated back to 2016 and expressed thanks to Red Bull for providing him with the platform to facilitate the move.
“As soon as Daniel was announced in Renault obviously there was a period of time where I didn’t know where I was going to go,” he said.
“I had been preparing my options, McLaren has been one of them for a long time now, been in touch with McLaren management there for a year or two now, because of that I was very calm about the situation.
“I had to wait about what happened in Red Bull and take my own decision and it turned out to be good.
“I’m about to leave the Red Bull family in a very good way, I owe pretty much my Formula 1 career to them, thanks to them because of them I am going to McLaren as they put me into Formula 1 and have been able to do a career thanks to them.
“I’m opening a new chapter next year, my first two-year deal with a team and I cannot wait.”
