Sainz hoping to end Bahrain points drought after being baffled by bad luck

Carlos Sainz is hoping to experience a change of fortune at the Bahrain Grand Prix and finally break his points duck after being left baffled by his run of bad luck at the circuit.

Sainz has suffered from incidents and reliability problems in Bahrain since entering Formula 1 and knows that any issues this weekend could cost McLaren a chance of third position in the constructors' championship.

When reminded he remains pointless at the circuit from six visits, Sainz responded: "Incredible! I don't get it.

"I feel that sometimes I am very quick here and I can qualify well and race well. It is just always something in Bahrain. Here and Belgium.

"Seriously, I don't know. Last year we had the crash with Max [Verstappen] on lap four. The year before, I think I had some reliability [problems] and the year before that I had a crash with [Lance] Stroll and then the trend continues way before that.

"But it is a track that I actually enjoy, I feel comfortable with and fast. I have two chances this time in Bahrain with a back-to-back so that helps."

In contrast, team-mate Lando Norris has enjoyed fruitful visits to the circuit, scoring his first F1 points in last year's race and taking victory in the 2018 Formula 2 feature race from pole position.

After joking that his team-mate would drop the event from the calendar if he was in charge of scheduling at F1, the British driver explained there is no secret as to why he seems to prosper at the circuit.

"It is a track I really enjoy, I don't know why," he said. "It has got a good flow to it. It is just a cool track.

"Maybe I am just saying that because I have done well and then I can say it. I think it has got a good characteristic of corners that suit my driving style in some ways but I don't have many secrets so I can't say anything.

"Otherwise, I will make myself sound really good and I can't even do that. It is just a track I enjoy and it gives me good confidence every time I come back here knowing I have done well in the past.

"That is always a good confidence booster coming in the following year so this year it is coming off last year and getting my first points in Formula 1 which is a cool thing to remember.

"It is also one of the home tracks for McLaren alongside Silverstone so I guess that is an extra bit of motivation."

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