Carlos Sainz Jr. feels getting both cars inside the top ten shootout for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix shows the Renault Sport Formula One Team are continuing to show just how consistent they are at the start of the 2018 Formula 1 season.
The Spaniard joined team-mate Nico Hülkenberg inside the top ten on Saturday around the Baku Street Circuit, the fourth time in four races both R.S.18’s have appeared in the final segment of Qualifying.
Sainz initially qualified tenth but will gain one spot thanks to a penalty for his team-mate for an unscheduled gearbox change, with the Spaniard feeling the lost time in the first sector cost him an opportunity of starting even higher up the grid.
“It was a decent qualifying for us,” said Sainz. “I missed the perfect first sector but getting both cars into Q3 again shows good consistency and effort from the team.”
Sainz hopes to stay out of trouble on Sunday to score a third points finish of the season, and he knows a big result could come their way if they the kind of chaos that affected the 2017 race in Baku strikes again.
“Tomorrow we need to have a clean start and target to stay in the points again,” said Sainz. “It could be another chaotic race so we need to be ready to maximize our chances.”
