Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. admits that he will not wait around forever for Red Bull Racing to promote him to the senior team.
Sainz signed a new deal to stay at Toro Rosso for 2017 but with Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo signed on for 2018 at Red Bull, speaking to Autosport, the Spaniard said he won’t wait forever for an opportunity otherwise he will move to another team.
“Unfortunately for me, they look pretty happy with the pair they have,” said Sainz. “It’s good to have a third driver like me waiting there in case something happens, but I cannot spend my whole life being the just in case option for Red Bull.
“They understand this and I’m convinced they know, that’s why next year is an important year for me to hopefully create a good base and move up if Red Bull is willing to take me. It would be a great pleasure, if not I’m sure they will understand I cannot spend my life being the third one.”
Red Bull can decide whether or not to extend Sainz’s deal after 2017 but the Spaniard will definitely have a say in his future. The Spaniard has no doubt that he still has to continue to impress the senior team throughout 2016 and especially in 2017.
“It depends on them if they want to exercise that option but it will also depend on me if I also want to do another year in Toro Rosso,” he said. “At the end they perfectly understand I have high targets, important targets in my mind for 2018 and it will be discussed.
