Test secured Sainz’s F1 promotion, says Marko

2015 F1 season

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Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko says Carlos Sainz Jnr earned his promotion to Formula One due to his test for the team in Abu Dhabi this week.

“Of course we were waiting how the championships are going,” he said. “Honestly it was really the last test in Abu Dhabi in the Formula One car which convinced us he is the right man for the seat.”

Sainz initially seemed to have been passed over by Red Bull earlier in the season when the less experienced Max Verstappen was given a place at Toro Rosso before him.

However Sainz’s success in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship persuaded Red Bull to keep him in the frame for a drive when a second vacancy appeared at Toro Rosso.

“He had some up and downs,” Marko admitted, “but he convinced us with winning this year’s World Series title with a record of seven wins – nobody, none of the drivers did have so many wins like Carlos.”

“He improved a lot in I would say the last two years and also a successful test in Abu Dhabi where he did 100 laps and the technical feedback, the speed everything was what we expected. So it was a natural choice, I would say.”

Marko is confident Toro Rosso’s first all-rookie driver line-up will deliver for them in 2015. “I’m looking forward to see these young guys, to have their first season,” he said.

“We are confident that they will do very well. And I have to say the tests, the approach, the personality, everything looks really promising.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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4 comments on “Test secured Sainz’s F1 promotion, says Marko”

  1. The test at RBR these days consist in checking the drivers genealogical tree…

  2. He does appear to have a natural affinity with the handling of a F1 car. Sainz instantly impressed the team when he tested the RB9 at Silverstone last year, where he made a bigger impression than even Kvyat. I have called into question the true depth of his talent by comparing his victorious FR3.5 campaign with the more consistent one of Magnussen, and he does appear to me still prone to scrappy weekends, but it will still be a joy to have him on the grid. That said natural ability is no substitute for concrete experience, so this super-young rookie line up will be a challenge for a team not afforded the luxury of continuity.

  3. I don’t believe anything Marko says. for some reason he is an authority in one of the richest f1 teams, and single handedly determines the future of young drivers, and at the same time ruins the future of others. he has too much power, the oppinions he gives in the press show him as borderline insane at times, why does he have this role at Red Bull?? I am glad Mark Webber stood up to him and didn’t take his crap… even if it hurt Webbers f1 dreams. imagine being a Vergne type driver…. doing nothing wrong, driving as good as any driver in the top 5 teams, and being given the flick…

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