Carlos Sainz Jr finished ninth on his Formula 1 debut a year ago, and as a result the Scuderia Toro Rosso driver has happy and positive memories of the race around the Albert Park circuit.
After qualifying inside the top ten and securing points on his first Grand Prix start a year ago in Australia, Spaniard Sainz is naturally excited to be returning to the circuit a year later, and feels turns eleven and twelve is his favourite part of the 5.303km circuit.
“I have very good memories from Australia, probably some of the best of 2015, as I ended up P8 in my first ever F1 qualifying session and then went on to score points in my debut race,” said Sainz.
“Preparing for this race again definitely puts a smile on my face! I discovered this track for the first time last year and I can say I really enjoyed it.
“I remember that Turn 1 is quite bumpy and it’s therefore easy to lock the front wheels. The second DRS zone is a tricky one, as we open it just as we exit Turn 2. What we need to be careful with is the entry of Turn 6, as it’s quite easy to put a tyre on the grass! I also recall having to get very close to the wall at Turns 9 and 10, as this gives you lap time, and it reminds me a bit of Monaco.
“My favourite part of the track, and also the fastest, are Turns 11 and 12, driven in sixth gear. The last sector also includes another nice combination of corners that I enjoy very much, even though the final two turns are the trickiest, especially Turn 16, where you’re fighting with the steering wheel to get a good exit.
“I definitely had good fun out there last year and I hope to say the same this time!”
