Sainz on tyre choice: 'Everyone thought I was mad!'

There was certainly no lack of excitement in the Toro Rosso garage on Sunday thanks Carlos Sainz's bold decision to launch his race on dry tyres.

The Spanish driver's choice, an outlier in the all intermediate-shod field, had everyone scratching their heads - including Sainz's own engineers and team manager Franz Tost who disapproved vehemently of his driver's choice - as conditions hardly seemed appropriate.

A spin just four corners into the race, and a hit with the barriers, confirmed that impression but then Sainz got a feel for his tyres and the track and proceeded to move up the field at lightning speed!

“WOW! What a race, I just don’t have words to describe it," said the Toro Rosso driver.

"On the grid I said I wanted to start the race on slick tyres and everyone thought I was completely mad!

"It sounds like a funny moment now, but when everyone took the blankets off the tyres and my race engineer told me that we were the only ones the supersoft tyre I doubted my decision…

"When you’re on the grid, about to start a race, and you take a tough decision like today’s, there’s a lot of weight on your shoulders, knowing that you might have blown away a good result for the team… but I then said to myself, c’mon trust yourself, it’s the right thing to do!

"I knew the start and the first four corners were going to be very tricky – and they certainly were! – but from Turn 6 onwards the track was fully dry and I felt confident – the gamble definitely paid off! "

Steely Hamilton stays in charge for Shanghai win

But Sainz says that luck and boldness weren't enough to bring in a good result, insisting that his STR12's outright pace was equally important.

"Today’s result isn’t only thanks to this decision; it’s also down to the pace that we showed in damp conditions.

"After the Safety Car, I saw myself catching Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes in front and I got super excited!

"It was just an incredible race, I felt so comfortable in the car today and to finally cross the line in P7 is a great result – I’d like to thank the team for the whole weekend, we can all be very happy!

GALLERY: All the pictures from Sunday in Shanghai

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.