Sainz got "extra motivation" after Renault-departure was confirmed

Departing Renault driver Carlos Sainz Junior has said that his confirmed split from the French team after this season has given him extra motivation to perform well.

The Spaniard will be swapping Renault for McLaren after this season, as he had to make way at Renault for newly signed Daniel Ricciardo, who will make a high-profile switch from Red Bull Racing to team up with Nico Hülkenberg.

“For me it would have been very easy after the summer just to say 'well, let’s finish the year and think about next year', you know?” Sainz told Motorsport.com.

“But I really felt I had something left in Renault, not to prove, but I just wanted to finish the year strongly. I found a lot of motivation after the summer break, after Spa, to say 'I want to finish the year strongly with them'.

“I have a very good relationship with the mechanics, with the engineers, and with the management here, and because of that I've been pushing flat out since then as an eight-race sprint until the finish line, to finish well with Renault.

“And this is exactly what is happening right now, no? Very strong races. The car is not where it was at the beginning of the year in terms of performance, but the points are still coming, so I am proud of that.”

Sainz will be teaming up with rookie Lando Norris in 2019 at McLaren, with the teenager making the promotion from Formula 2.