Breaking news
Formula 1
Contract stability allowed Sainz to show a "new Carlos"
Carlos Sainz says having a longer contract with McLaren has given him the chance to show what he is really capable of during the 2019 Formula 1 season.
Pablo Elizalde Oleg Karpov
Published: Dec 27, 2019, 11:31 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sainz joined the Woking team from Renault for this year after just one full season, admitting the final races with the French manufacturer were "weird" ahead of his exit.
The Spaniard has a two-year contract with McLaren and 2019 has been the first time he has gone into the off-season with his future sorted.
He reckons that has allowed him to show a "new Carlos" that people had not seen before.
"I think this stability has given me a chance to show a bit of a new Carlos, that maybe the paddock in general or many people hadn't seen," said Sainz.
"I knew that was inside, I just needed the right environment, I guess, and the right mindset."
Read Also:
- How Sainz's "Smooth Operator" running joke came about
- Sainz relishing McLaren continuity after "weird" end at Renault
Sainz, in Formula 1 since 2015, secured sixth place in the standings with a 10th-place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
He concedes having contract stability has changed the type of pressure he feels when racing.
"I never had that [security]. So even if you don't feel it, and you don't want [to think about it], there's that pressure to bring results now," he said.
"There's been a few changes that I've made from '18 to '19, that for sure have helped, but mainly having that stability, having that extra confidence to go for moves, you know, for the move on Max [Verstappen] in Bahrain, that maybe before I would have thought twice about it.
"Because I need to bank in this P5 or P6 that I am at the moment - it is a very good result for me - let's not attack Max so much, because he's anyway gonna beat me at the end of the race.
"[I had] this kind of mentality of 'no, I'm just gonna push, I'm just going to try and do the best I can', because I'm I have finally a bit of stability and a bit of a place where I can be myself more often."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Verstappen: Inconsistent F1 stewards like football referees
Next article Hamilton still revisits texts from "great pillar" Lauda
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Pablo Elizalde
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
MotoGP
MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
Formula 1
Formula 1
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
More from
Carlos Sainz
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lewis Hamilton: Younger F1 drivers are “more and more cautious” about racing in rain
More from
McLaren
The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
The figures that show Mercedes has lost its supremacy in F1 2026
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
Latest news
MotoGP riders ask for guarantees to go and race in Qatar
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
17 min
MotoGP riders ask for guarantees to go and race in Qatar
Barcelona joins 2027 IndyCar schedule in multiyear deal
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 47 min
Barcelona joins 2027 IndyCar schedule in multiyear deal
Lamborghini Super Trofeo |Europe, Race 2: Salonen/Tuomaala take the win, Iaquinta/Gilardoni crowned champions
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
LBST Lamborghini Super Trofeo
World Finals - Monza 2026
1 h
Lamborghini Super Trofeo |Europe, Race 2: Salonen/Tuomaala take the win, Iaquinta/Gilardoni crowned champions
Josh McErlean to test 2027-spec M-Sport WRC car at ERC finale
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
Josh McErlean to test 2027-spec M-Sport WRC car at ERC finale
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe