Sainz: Hulkenberg would win 'straight away' in a Mercedes

Carlos Sainz reckons that his former Renault team mate Nico Hulkenberg is one of the most talented drivers on the grid and would be winning "straight away" with a top team.

Hulkenberg currently holds the unenviable record of starting the most races in F1 without ever achieving a podium finish.

And that unwanted statistic may persist for the German driver in 2019 if Renault remains in the shadow of F1's impregnable Mercedes-Ferrari-Red Bull trio.

For over a year, Hulkenberg served as Sainz's immediate benchmark, a solid standard against which he could measure his own performance.

• Ricciardo not underestimating Hulkenberg's 'calibre' despite track record

As far as the Spaniard is concerned, his former team mate's track record isn't a proper reflection of his true value.

"The year that I came to Renault, Nico was having already a very strong year," says Sainz.

“I saw him performing at the highest level I’ve seen I think perform in the midfield for years.

"For me he’s one of those guys that you give him a Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull he’d win races straight away.

"But unfortunately you guys are not able to see it, not able to calculate it, as Formula 1 works like that.

"Nico is one of those guys that I’ve learned a lot from and I’m going to go to McLaren with that experience, having shared a team with one of the most talented drivers in the grid right now."

When Hulkenberg arrived at Renault in 2017, he committed to the manufacturer's long-term plan that should eventually see the French team gunning for glory by 2021.

Progress at Enstone has been steady but slow, but Sainz believes his former squad is on the right track.

"I hope so because then it means they are also improving the engine and the engine goes to McLaren and the McLaren also starts working," the smart Spaniard said.

"I see a lot of good guys there, I’ve met people like [chassis technical director] Nick Chester that are top guys, and people really willing to make it back to winning ways.

"I wish them the best. I know it’s a hard process. I don’t know how much time they want to cut it back, but it’s between one-and-a-half and two seconds in qualifying every time."

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