Carlos Sainz Jr says he has not given himself any specific targets for his rookie season with Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Although he has more racing experience than his team mate Max Verstappen, he has less F1 mileage than the Dutchman. Both men drove the STR10 at a filming day in Misano this week.
“I think it’s not the moment to put any expectations or objectives,” he said in Jerez today. “I think it’s the moment to learn, to develop the car with Max and do a good job with the whole team. So far they have done the job because we have been the first team to put a car on track, and do those first 10-20 laps with the car.
“For sure we’ll be pushing each other, every F1 driver will be pushing the other team mate. Max and I will have to learn a lot this year, we’ll have to learn together also, especially 12 days of testing, six each – we’ll have to join our experience, let’s put it like that, to help the team as much as possible. Obviously our experience is not the same as the McLaren pair, or any other pair, but I think working together in the tests we can do a good job.”
Meanwhile while Verstappen’s age has ensured that he’s been in the global media spotlight, Sainz says he’s been busy at home:“In Spain I also had a bit of attention, everyone with ‘the new Fernando Alonso’ and all that. It’s things that must happen, and it’s normal. I don’t complain. I’m happy, it’s your dream come true, you cannot complain about your personal life.”
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog 