Sainz Jr: « My dream is to become a Toro Rosso driver »

The brand new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, Carlos Sainz Jr, has become the first driver from the Red Bull Junior program to win this title, where Vergne and Ricciardo notably failed. Expected to take Jean-Éric Vergne’s place in 2015, he ultimately saw Max Verstappen chosen over him.

But with Vettel’s departure from Red Bull and his replacement by Daniil Kvyat, it opens up a spot at Toro Rosso that the Spaniard hopes to secure. Speaking to crash.net, Carlos Sainz Jr hopes to have the same fate as Kevin Magnussen, FR3.5 champion in 2013 who then moved to F1: « As a driver, I have done what I needed to do in terms of 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 program, the first thing I want to do is give back to Red Bull everything they have given me with good results in F1. »

For the moment, there are no negotiations between the Red Bull F1 officials and the Spanish camp of the young driver: « I haven’t spoken to anyone at Red Bull about the seat at Toro Rosso. I didn’t know in advance that they had chosen Max but I prefer it this way, I don’t like talking to them about it. »

Asked whether if Toro Rosso were to choose another driver over him, it would mean the premature end of his involvement with the young drivers program, Sainz Jr replied that it would change his relationship with Red Bull: « I would then have to find my own path and do things differently. It’s not every year that you become a World Series by Renault champion, so I need to keep building on that momentum. If it doesn’t happen, I will have to make it on my own. »

The last available seat at Toro Rosso is likely to be contested between Carlos Sainz Jr and the English driver Alex Lynn, who is well on his way to securing the title in the GP3 Series.