Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly are refusing to be drawn on reports that both drivers could be on the move from the Malaysian Grand Prix in two weeks time.
Over the weekend, sources revealed Sainz has signed to join Renault for 2018 but that his move could happen as soon as Sepang in a deal that was agreed to compensate Renault for ending their engine deal with junior Red Bull team Toro Rosso and allow McLaren to acquire their power units from next season.
The reports continued stating that should the Spaniard leave before the end of the year, Gasly, who won last year’s GP2 championship, would get his chance at Toro Rosso with Honda junior Nobuhara Matsushita looking to acquire enough superlicence points to join next year.
Though all this is currently being finalised, with an announcement expected this week, Sainz, who was rapped by Red Bull earlier in the year after speaking of his desire to leave Toro Rosso after three seasons with the Italian team, is not making the same mistake twice.
“Red Bull does its best for my career and so whatever they decide, I will accept it,” the 22-year-old told Marca. “It is difficult for me because what I say may please one person and displease another, so I prefer to say nothing.
“All I know is that there are many people in Toro Rosso that I want to thank for making me the driver I am today.”
Asked whether he has any knowledge about the current situation between McLaren, Toro Rosso, Renault and Honda, again the second generation racing driver didn’t answer definitively.
“I don’t know, but I think for the sake of the teams involved, they are going to have to decide sooner rather than later, because (preparation for) 2018 is already here,” Sainz told EFE news agency.
As for Gasly, reports early on Monday claimed the Frenchman as admitting preparations were underway for a potential Toro Rosso seat as soon as Sepang, however, he later clarified the comments he made while racing in Super Formula in Japan this past weekend.
“[I] just said I was hoping to drive for Toro Rosso soon,” he tweeted in response to a journalist. “[I] never mentioned Malaysia. Just twisting my words.”
