Carlos Sainz says he is sure Toro Rosso "will make a step forward in terms of performance" despite using a year-old power unit in 2016.
Following the drawn-out uncertainty over Red Bull's future in the sport last year, Toro Rosso eventually secured a switch from Renault power units to a supply of previous specification Ferraris. Explaining his winter training regime to the official Toro Rosso website, Sainz says he is preparing himself for a mentally challenging year but expects a more competitive car.
"I think I learned (in 2015) how difficult it is to always give your 100% every race weekend, throughout the whole season," Sainz said. "This year there are even more races on the calendar, so my training purpose is thought to improve my performance, race by race.
"I expect a long but fun Championship ahead, where I will make the most of all what I learned last year and I'm sure that we will make a step forward in terms of performance. It will be a challenging season but that doesn't scare me at all... Let's not forget that I'm living the dream of my life!"
Sainz finished his debut F1 season in 15th place in the drivers' championship with 18 points, with a number of reliability issues throughout the season leaving him 31 points adrift of team-mate Max Verstappen.
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