Sainz: Renault rumours a good thing for me

While refusing to speculate on his immediate future amid rumours of a switch to Renault for the next race, Carlos Sainz says being linked to switches is a positive sign for his career in Formula 1.

Sainz has become the centre of a rumoured driver rotation having been reported to be moving to Renault for the next race in Malaysia to take up Jolyon Palmer’s race seat, while Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly would take Sainz’s place at Toro Rosso for the remainder of 2017.

The Spanish driver, who has become the longest-serving Toro Rosso driver in terms of race starts, has reiterated his ambition to climb the F1 ladder but said he couldn’t comment on the ongoing reports until announcements are made by the teams – which are expected to be released tomorrow.

Sainz feels regardless of any outcome the speculation puts a positive spin on his F1 career as says it isn’t a negative distraction from this weekend in Singapore.

“I’ve always said anything that’s linking you to rumours just means that you’re doing a decent job, that people want you,” Sainz said. “So for me that’s obviously a good thing, it’s not something that I don’t like, for sure.

“It’s not a distraction to be honest. For the moment I know I’m racing with Toro Rosso in Singapore and I’ll just prepare myself as I do always.

“I don’t pay too much attention to all the stuff going around, I just rely on my team around me and the group of people surrounding me. And what is going to happen or what’s the timing, you know, worrying from that on that when I have things clear I can just focus on myself.

“My ambitions, I think I’ve said it very clearly in the past is to try and be a World Champion. And whatever path there is, the shorter path, I will take it.

“At the moment my career relies on Red Bull and what they do with me and all this situation in June, I put my full trust in them about what to do about my future and from there it was clear that I’m just going to wait and see what they decide.”

Sainz reported move to Renault has come as a sweetener in the ongoing deal involving McLaren, Honda Renault and Red Bull which is expected to be confirmed after FP1 in Singapore on Friday.