An ecstatic Carlos Sainz Jr. has praised his Mclaren F1 Team‘s strategy call and pit-stop speed after scoring a season best sixth place in the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix.
On a track that Sainz admits “really didn’t suit” McLaren the Spaniard qualified ninth and pulled off an incredible move around the outside of both Alexander Albon and Daniil Kvyat on the opening lap.
Sainz trailed Kyvat on the long run uphill from turn one and was wheel-to-wheel with Albon as the field headed in the long left hand turn at Massenet. Sainz took a wide entry into the turn, out-braking Albon and running clean around the outside of Kvyat to claim eighth.
Sainz later benefitted from a strategy that saw him stay out when others made pit-stops behind the early-race safety car, gaining valuable track position.
He would later come under pressure from both Scuderia Toro Rosso cars but was able to hold on to sixth, his best result since joining Mclaren.
“Yes! P6 today is a very good result and my third points finish in a row,” said Saniz. “An amazing first lap after passing both Toro Rossos around the outside at Turn Three. Definitely one of my best overtakes! After that, a good pit call to stay out under the Safety Car and some solid laps to earn P6.
“Another fast pit-stop by our mechanics, a great lap to defend from the Kvyat stop and then it was just about managing the tyres and bringing it home. Important points on another track that really didn’t suit us much. We need to keep pushing to improve, but congrats to all the team for today.”
