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In an interview with crash.net yesterday, Carlos Sainz Jr believes he has done everything he can to earn a race seat at Toro Rosso, but he is ready to play the waiting game.
The 20-year-old was initially overlooked by STR for the 2015 season with the team opting to go with teenager Max Verstappen, but he is back in the mix for the second seat after Daniil Kvyat was promoted to Red Bull.
He has made sure his name is firmly in the hat by securing the Formula Renault 3.5 title during the final round at Jerez over the weekend. In his interview with crash.net yesterday, Sainz Jr has stated that he has to wait and see if he will drive for the Toro Rosso team next season even though that his objective. Sainz Jr stated the following:-
‘I put everything on the table in terms of numbers and results, now I just have to wait. My dream is to become a Toro Rosso driver. There is no doubt that, after five years in the programme, the first thing I want is to give Red Bull back all they have given me with good results in F1.’
As Sainz Jr has stated in his interview, he has done everything he can to put himself forward for the Toro Rosso drive available next season and it is clear that he is where he wants to be. The fact that he has won Formula Renault 3.5 this season demonstrates that he is talented and can bring the experience of winning a championship to the drive as well.
In terms of his career progression with the Red Bull Young Driver Programme, it is clear that Sainz Jr feels it is time for the heads of the programme to take him seriously for the drive and he wants to repay their loyality and faith in his career so far by translating his success into Formula One as soon as he possibly can.
Sainz Jr is competing with the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne, Pierre Gasly and Alex Lynn for the second seat and he admits further on in his interview yesterday that he might have to change his relationship with the Red Bull Junior Team if he fails to land the drive. Sainz Jr added the following:-
‘I would have to find my own way and I would have to do things in a different way. It is not every year you become a World Series by Renault champion so I have to keep that momentum. If it doesn’t come, I will have to do it for myself.’
It is clear that if Sainz Jr does not obtain the second drive at Toro Rosso next season, he would have to find another way to get into the sport and I can understand why he would take this decision and he has to do what he feels is right for his career. But it is a decision that cannot be taken lightly by Sainz Jr as without the backing of Red Bull, he wouldn’t be in the position he is now and his career wouldn’t have developed the way it has over the past few years.
But overall, it is clear that Sainz Jr is determined to be the second driver of the Toro Rosso team for 2015. With him being the first Red Bull backed driver to win the Formula Renault 3.5 title, that is an achievement that cannot be overlooked and for me, it would be the most logical choice for him to be promoted into Formula One next season and it is clear that he is talented enough to be there.
It is clear that Sainz Jr if he does not get the drive with Toro Rosso will have to part ways with the Red Bull programme for the sake of his career and find another way to get into Formula One. And while I respect Sainz Jr’s decision to leave the programme if he has to, he cannot take this lightly and this could have serious repercussions on his career. But that is the risk that Sainz Jr would have to weigh up and take.
But will Toro Rosso agree with Sainz Jr and give him the chance to race in Formula One next season? We shall have to wait and see.
