Sainz: Staying at Renault 'a pleasure'

Carlos Sainz has cheerily admitted it would be a "pleasure" to continue to drive for Renault next season even after his season-long loan from Red Bull in 2018 expires, following the news that Red Bull are set to ditch Renault as their engine supplier for the next campaign,

Sainz has enjoyed a positive start to the new campaign along with his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, with Renault slotted situated in fourth in the constructor rankings behind the 'big three' of Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.

He is still on loan at the team from Red Bull, but would not have a problem staying on if asked.

“It would be a pleasure to stay in Renault,” Sainz told El Pais.

“Actually I’m happy where I am, I think this team has a lot of potential and, whatever happens, I’m very proud of how we are doing things here at Renault.

“For me it would be a pleasure to stay. They were away from F1 for five years so this is a process of regrouping, of reforming and of going little by little in the right direction, improving.

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“I think the team is very ambitious and knows how to win, because it has won in the past, and that is a plus that other teams may not have.”

Renault advisor and former Formula One world champion Alain Prost appreciates the dynamic between Sainz and Hulkenberg, saying they make for an impressive unit on the track.

“Sometimes in a team there are big differences in the attitude of the drivers, or how they work with the engineers," said Prost.

"But from what I see, these two complement each other very well. The important thing is that they go in the same direction and push the team to be the best.”