Carlos Sainz is in a dilemma about his future. Will he stay at Renault or go to Red Bull or another outfit? His biggest worry is that he may not have much say in where he wound be sent next.
Last year, Sainz was throwing tantrums about not being promoted to the Red Bull seat even after three years at Toro Rosso, and within a few months, he was loaned to Renault.
The Spaniard has improved his skills in his new team and appreciates the environment in the French outfit.
But he is also mindful that his primary contract is with Red Bull and may be recalled to drive for them in 2019 in case Ricciardo moves to a different team.
Renault has improved its position since 2017 and has shown a lot of promise in the first three races this season.
Talking about his future, Sainz told Sky F1’s Simon Lazenby that “Definitely the future could be with Renault and I’m ready for it if it comes,”
“I’m loving it, especially because the team is just moving forward. Investment is coming, all the mechanics and engineers just feel this vibe.”
Sainz’s move to Renault was suggested by the French team’s F1 advisor and four-time world champion Alain Prost.
Prost’s thinking paid off and Sainz teaming up with Nico Hulkenberg has given the Enstone team a consistent and solid line-up on the grid. Sainz scored points in two out of three races while the German finished all the three races within top 10.
“We knew that it was a risk [taking Sainz],” said Prost. “But it’s better to take this kind of risk.
“It’s important for the team to make a progression. It was a decision that was good for the team and good for Nico because you can see that it made his level even higher now.”
After three races, Renault is the fifth in the team’s standings and just three points behind McLaren.
Whether Sainz stays in Renault or moves to Red Bull, the Spaniard is expected to be one of the top drivers on the grid in the coming years. One indicator of his potential is that even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has an eye on the Spaniard.
