Sainz delighted that start gamble paid off

Carlos Sainz was left grinning ear to ear post race in Shanghai after the Spaniard finished in a healthy P7 after taking a risk on the strategy at the start.

Sainz was the only man to start the race on dry tyres which paid off, as he was able to make up positions after everybody pitted for dry tyres a couple of laps later, despite dropping to the back of the field after turn one.

"What a race, I just don't have words to describe it! On the grid I said I wanted to start the race on slick tyres and everyone thought I was completely mad! It sounds like a funny moment now, but when everyone took the blankets off the tyres and my race engineer told me that we were the only ones the supersoft tyre I doubted my decision.

"When you're on the grid, about to start a race, and you take a tough decision like today's, there's a lot of weight on your shoulders, knowing that you might have blown away a good result for the team... but I then said to myself, c'mon trust yourself, it's the right thing to do!"

Sainz knew that the first few corners would be a massive struggle,  but kept in the right mindset and found the pace, stating his risky gamble paid off.

"I knew the start and the first four corners were going to be very tricky – and they certainly were! – but from Turn 6 onwards the track was fully dry and I felt confident – the gamble definitely paid off!"

Sainz was also delighted by the pace the car showed in damp conditions, as he was catching the front runners. He now sits in seventh in the constructor standings while Toro Rosso appears to be fighting for the best of the rest, as they now lie fourth in the constructor standings.

"Today's result isn't only thanks to this decision; it's also down to the pace that we showed in damp conditions. After the Safety Car, I saw myself catching Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes in front and I got super excited! It was just an incredible race, I felt so comfortable in the car today and to finally cross the line in P7 is a great result – I'd like to thank the team for the whole weekend, we can all be very happy!"

Fergal Walsh