12:48 – Carlos Sainz Jr. says he aims to “hit the ground running” with Renault as he prepares to make his first start for the manufacturer in the United States next weekend.
Renault confirmed in Singapore that Sainz Jr., who made his Formula 1 bow with Toro Rosso in 2015, would race for the team in 2018, on loan from Red Bull.
However, Renault announced in Japan last weekend that it had reached an agreement to split with Jolyon Palmer, enabling Sainz Jr. to move across from Toro Rosso for the upcoming Austin round.
Sainz Jr. is wary that he faces a “big challenge” but that he can perform from the outset at the Circuit of the Americas.