Year-old engine only half Toro Rosso’s problem – Sainz

2016 Belgian Grand Prix

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Carlos Sainz Jnr reckons the fact Toro Rosso have to use a year-old engine is only half the explanation for why they struggled in qualifying today.

Sainz, who has reached Q3 three times already this year, was unable to make it into the top ten today. Team mate Daniil Kvyat was eliminated in Q1.

However Sainz says the team’s 2015-specification Ferrari engine is only part of the reason why they are struggling at the power-sensitive Spa circuit.

“It’s being a very tough weekend for us, maybe even a bit more than expected,” he admitted. “It’s disappointing not to be able to fight to get into Q3.”

“On one side I’m happy because I know I’ve extracted the maximum out of the car today, but on the other side I’m sad to see us sitting in P15, a second off Q3. It’s not good enough.”

“There’s a lot of analysis going on right now inside the team to see where we are losing so much performance – we know the reason for half of it, it’s due to the 2015 power unit, but we need to understand why we are not performing as expected in sector two.”

“We’ve been slow all weekend so tomorrow’s race will be difficult. I’m confident that a right strategy will get us close to the top ten, but it won’t be easy to finish in the points.”

2016 Belgian Grand Prix

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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 “Year-old engine only half Toro Rosso’s problem – Sainz”

    1. Was told earlier that a Helmut Marko was insisting that Pierre Gasly replace Kvyat from this weekend but many within not just STR but the Red Bull program pushed back as they feel it only right to let Kvyat finish the season on top of the fact that it’s generally felt that Gasly may not really be ready.

      Helmut Marko has allegedly informed Kvyat that if he doesn’t have a strong weekend and/or doesn’t finish ahead of Sainz then he’ll be dropped before Monza & may not even be kept on as a Red Bull backed driver.

      1. Arnoud van Houwelingen
        27th August 2016, 22:27

        where and from whom did you heard this news?

      2. What a twist. I think RB’s programme proved there’s no age or experience standing between f1 drivers and us, what has been revealed is that all the real experience is above the shoulders. It’s all about the attitude. Kvyat changed a lot ever since his debut, and it was definitely not his talent, that’s still there, but the Kvyat we see is a rather narcissist, delusional, revolted and desperate persona. A piece of humble pie would do him wonders.

    2. That engine isn’t a year old is it? It was updated at the end of 2015.

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