Franz Tost has admitted that losing Carlos Sainz Jr. to the Renault Sport Formula 1 Team towards the end of the 2017 Formula 1 season was a big loss to Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Toro Rosso fell behind Renault in the Constructors’ Championship after the Spaniard’s departure, with neither Pierre Gasly nor Brendon Hartley able to add to the team’s points tally, although Daniil Kvyat did score one point in his final race with the team in the United States Grand Prix before his own departure.
Sainz himself scored six points for Renault in his first race with the team, which went a long way in helping them move into sixth place in the standings, but Tost, the Team Principal of Toro Rosso, admits losing the Spaniard was huge as he knew how to drive the STR12 and how to manage the tyres, something the incoming drivers had to learn.
“It was a big loss because Carlos scored most of the points for the team,” said Tost to RACER. “He knew the car, he had a clear picture about the management of the tyres and he worked very well together with his team.
“Therefore I must says that it was a big loss for the team.”
