Breaking news

Formula 1

Sainz says there is "nowhere" to look beyond McLaren for 2021

Carlos Sainz says there is "nowhere else to look around" for his next Formula 1 contract beyond McLaren, which he says has "very attractive" momentum on its side.

Scott Mitchell

Scott Mitchell

Edited: Nov 25, 2019, 3:57 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Carlos Sainz Jr., McLaren

Like most drivers on the F1 grid, Sainz's current deal takes him to the end of the 2020 season.

Seats at F1's leading three teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull could become available for 2021, and Sainz could be a beneficiary of next year's driver market after starring in his first year with McLaren.

The Spaniard has been the most impressive performance in the F1 midfield this season, leading McLaren's charge to fourth in the constructors' championship after a dismal few years for the team.

"For as long as I've been in this team it's been a constant upwards curve," Sainz said when asked by Motorsport.com about the 2021 driver market and his intentions.

"That is obviously a very attractive thing to have and not something that you see a lot in Formula 1.

"I am very happy and very proud of what this team is doing. It's obviously very, very early to think about 2021 but it's not a secret that I'm very happy in this team.

"I think both parties are very happy with each other and at the moment for me there's nowhere else to look around."

Read Also:

Sainz has enjoyed his best season in F1 and topped it with a maiden podium finish earned in the wild Brazilian Grand Prix.

He said his experiences in recent years, including a tough 2018 alongside Nico Hulkenberg at the works Renault team, moulded him into a driver ready to make a step forward this season.

"Te year next to Nico helped me quite a lot to learn things from an experienced driver," said Sainz.

"Previous to that all my teammates had been one year experience in Formula 1 so actually to have a year next to Nico helped me to learn a couple of new things for myself.

"Coming into McLaren I knew I was ready for the challenge, the way I understand car balance, the way to develop it, the speed that I knew that I had in Toro Rosso and in Renault.

"It was just a matter of getting into this team, feeling comfortable immediately and then the results would take care of themselves. There was nothing really that I was afraid of or anything."

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 Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article The main factor behind Honda's F1 future decision

Next article Steiner: Speed showed Haas could have been "best of the rest"

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Scott Mitchell



Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur

Formula 1

Formula 1

Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur



Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'

Formula 1

Formula 1

Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'



Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari

Formula 1

Formula 1

Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari

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



Sainz interview: “I always believed in McLaren… but then Ferrari called”

Formula 1

Sainz interview: “I always believed in McLaren… but then Ferrari called”

More from

McLaren



F1 Brazil GP: Friday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

22 h

F1 Brazil GP: Friday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch



Oscar Piastri accepts penalty for Arvid Lindblad clash but questions F1 rules

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

22 h

Oscar Piastri accepts penalty for Arvid Lindblad clash but questions F1 rules



Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Formula 1

Why Oscar Piastri has struggled to show his best with this year's McLaren MCL40

Latest news



Pedro Acosta on shock Friday failure in Qatar: 'It can't get worse than this'

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

7 min

Pedro Acosta on shock Friday failure in Qatar: 'It can't get worse than this'



NASCAR confirms new qualifying rainout policy, mulls other 2027 changes

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

40 min

NASCAR confirms new qualifying rainout policy, mulls other 2027 changes



"Unacceptable downshifts" – Max Verstappen explains what's behind a recurring F1 radio complaint

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

"Unacceptable downshifts" – Max Verstappen explains what's behind a recurring F1 radio complaint



MotoGP Qatar GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio fastest in Practice; Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez make the cut

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

1 h

MotoGP Qatar GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio fastest in Practice; Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez make the cut

Feature

Discover prime content



How F1’s rules got to be so complex

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How F1’s rules got to be so complex



A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

By Filip Cleeren

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment



Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s

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:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe