Carlos Sainz Jr. is ‘happy to be back racing in Germany’ as Formula 1 returns to the Hockenheimring after a year absence for the German Grand Prix.
Sainz has had success in Germany on his journey to Formula 1 and is glad to be back especially in a Renault Sport Formula One Team car that has upgrades for this race.
“I’m happy to be back racing in Germany,” said Sainz. “I’m especially looking forward to it as we have a few updates there – including a new front wing – to help us get back on the pace we showed at the beginning of the year.
“Hockenheim is a track I’ve won at in the past, so it’s one I’m looking ahead to. It’s Nico [Hülkenberg]’s home race too, so that’ll be special for him – like for me in Spain – and that will help us both push hard on track all weekend.”
The Hockenheimring is a track many of the drivers enjoy and Sainz feels the fans need to keep an eye on turns 1 and 12 to see the new cars at their best.
“It’s certainly a circuit I enjoy, even though I only have one Formula 1 race to my name there,” said the Spaniard. “I’ve had pole positions and race wins at Hockenheim in the junior categories.
“It’s quite an old-school circuit, which I like. There’s a couple of long straights and fast-sweeping corners. It will be the first time we’ve driven Hockenheim with the wider, higher downforce Formula 1 cars, so a lot of the corners will be faster than what they once were.
“Turns one and 12 will be especially fast, so that’ll be something to keep an eye on in Friday’s early running.”
Renault sit in fourth place in the constructors’ championship and Sainz feels the team need to improve after a tough few races otherwise be in danger of losing their fourth place in the standings.
“We have lots of things we need to analyse, as the midfield battle is getting tighter and tighter,” he said. “These last few rounds have highlighted that trend and our current fourth place could be threatened if we don’t keep up the hard work.
“We had a really good two-thirds of the race at Silverstone and it was a pity we couldn’t bring more points home. We need to keep pushing to secure the fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.”
