Sainz feels like on-loan footballer at Renault

Carlos Sainz has described his loan deal at Renault as a “strange situation” and that there was no way he could have prepared for it.

The Spaniard was at Toro Rosso last season, but Renault axed Jolyon Palmer before the campaign was finished and that allowed Sainz to join the Enstone-based team earlier than planned.

Saiz is still part of the Red Bull family and would be one of the leading candidates to partner Max Verstappen should Daniel Ricciardo leave at the end of his deal this year.

But, nevertheless, Sainz sees himself as a “special case” in Formula 1.

“I’ve not heard of many drivers who are on loan, it’s more of a football term,” Sainz told Motorsport.com.

“It’s a bit of a strange situation, I’m a special case at the moment. That’s why I can’t let it get into my head.

“I need to just do what I was doing at Toro Rosso, having a good race every time I go out on track, and then things fall for themselves, like it did at Toro Rosso.

“谁能告诉我,当我还在ro Rosso that this year I would be at Renault? No-one. It is a very special situation.”

As for potentially landing a Red Bull seat next year, Sainz is just focusing on himself for the moment.

“I’m trying to impress myself,” said Sainz. “By that I mean I’m really looking forward to having a full season with a team. I’m going to keep it open, keep performing the way I’ve been doing.

“Things will sort out for themselves, normally if you perform well good things are coming.