Sainz felt that he had been written off: 'No one expected anything more'

Return from Sainz

Sainz made his Formula 1 debut for Toro Rosso in 2015 after a long wait, but with Max Verstappen as a teammate he didn't have an easy time of it. After a spell with Toro Rosso, he joined Renault but this didn't last long.

In fact, at the end of 2018 Sainz was let go completely. He had a tough season at Renault, where he was not able to put Nico Hulkenberg under much pressure. At Renault Sainz was pushed aside in favor of Daniel Ricciardo, but McLaren still saw something in the young Spaniard, who was able to put himself back on the map with that step.

"After a difficult year with Renault nobody really expected anything from me anymore. I had made a good impression with Toro Rosso, but with Renault it was difficult. The fact that I then got a chance for stability at McLaren meant that I was able to find an extra gear, which may have surprised Zak Brown and Adreas Seidl,'' Sainz said to AS.com.

Stability in Formula One

Sainz grew into one of the revelations of the season in 2019, putting him back in the picture for a move to a larger team. McLaren were on the rise, but when Ferrari knocked on the door, he signed for 2021. Sainz appreciates the opportunity McLaren gave him, allowing him to perform to a good level.

"There's no special moment for me, but more consistency. McLaren let me perform at a higher level on Sunday and that gives you confidence. You don't only see that with me. Just look at Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The Hamilton of 2013 doesn't look like the one now and Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing is also getting more out of his car now than when he debuted. In Formula 1 you need that stability," Sainz concluded.