Spirited Sainz returns to scene of 'memorable' Renault debut

It was just 12 months ago that Carlos Sainz embarked on a whole new direction in his motor racing career.

The long-time Red Bull junior driver accepted the offer of a one-year loan that took him from the Toro Rosso squad to the Renault factory team.

His first outing for his new team was in the United States Grand Prix, so it's perhaps no surprise that he declares that the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas is "one of my favourite Formula 1 circuits."

"It has personality and charisma and is a little different to the usual Formula 1 track," he explained. "You can feel the power of a current Formula 1 car there.

• Sainz predicts McLaren renaissance after 'hitting the bottom'

"It has the right blend of fast corners, fast straights, tricky braking points and 90-degree turns," he continued. "All of which add up to create a challenge for us drivers.

"It’s obviously a memorable track for me as it was my first race in Renault colours last season," Sainz said when asked what he recalled of last year's outing.

"It was a good effort all round by the team and we had a lot to learn in a short space of time," he added.

Sainz made a definite impression on the team in his first race for them, crossing the line in seventh place to pick up six points on his maiden outing.

"It was a successful weekend and it meant I began my stint at Renault on a positive note," he agreed. "We were quick and made some nice overtakes.

"It was the perfect introduction to the team and I’ve loved every moment of the last year wearing the yellow and black."

Life is looking rather different for Sainz these days, after he dropped his links with Red Bull in order to sign a multi-year deal with McLaren for 2019.

That means he has just four races remaining before changing his wardrobe all over again, with orange being the primary hue for next season. But before he leaves Enstone, he's still got some outstanding business in the championship to attend to.

"We have to keep fighting. We know the second-half of the season has been tough for everyone involved with the team, but it shows we have a lot of spirit."

He needs to deliver top ten performances if Renault are to stay ahead of Haas in the tight battle for fourth place in the constructors standings.

"After scoring a point in Japan, I’m feeling hopeful for Austin," he insisted. "The circuit should suit the car better than Suzuka, so we remain positive.

"Even if we don’t have all the pace we want, we’re still scoring points, so we need to hold onto that and keep fighting and pushing. We can meet our targets."

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