Carlos Sainz believes Renault’s ability to score a strong result at the Spanish Grand Priജx reflects the prog🦹ress made by the French Formula 1 team this season. 

Sainz converted a Q3 appearance into points with a strong drive to seventh in Barcelona as he beat McLaren’s Fernando Alonso to claim home honours and keep up his record of finishing inside t⭕he top 10 at every Spanish GP he has contested. 

And the Spaniard feels such a solid performance at a circuit that does 🅷not necessarily favour Renault’s 2018 package highlights the step forwa🐭rd the Enstone-based squad has made in the tight battle for midfield supremacy. 

“I think it’s a very pꦇositive result for me and the team. We can be very proud of what we’ve achieveไd this weekend as this track was not ideal for us,” Sainz said.

“We turned things around well since Friday, did a very good start and managed to fꦑinish seventh which I 🌃think was the best we could hope for. It feels great to get another good result at home. 

“It’s good progress for the midfield fight and important points for the team. We have ar🌱🌺eas to work on, but we are making good progress. Let’s keep pushing.”

The result lifted Renault above customer team McLaren into fourth place in the constructors’ standings ꦓfor the first time this year, with just a single point separating the two Renault-powered outfits. 

Renault Sport managing director Cyril Abiteboul added the res💛ult had acted as motivation for his team heading into a packed European leg of t🦩he season. 

“We’re leaving Barcelona in positive spirits,” he said. “Our ta🔯rget is to be in the points at every race and we achieved that wit🎶h Carlos through another strong performance from him. He also qualified in the top ten, reinforcing the pace of the Renault R.S.18. 

“We’re happy that this result takes us o✅ne point ahead of McLaren in the constructors’ Championship, meaning for the first♏ time we’re in fourth. The battle is very tight so we need to keep developing and performing at our best.”