Carlos Sainz: The penalty won't change my approach

      After an emotional meeting with fans before the start of the weekend, on Thursday Carlos Sainz was in a good mood…

      Carlos Sainz: "A five-place grid penalty won't change my approach to the weekend. It's important to start as high up as possible to give myself the best chance in the race.

      I'm really hoping for a clean weekend. Yes, I managed to fight through the pack in Singapore after starting from 19th. I hope to start higher up here. In Mexico we should be competitive, as in Vegas. I hope we can score points both here and there.

      Last year I won in Mexico, driving for Ferrari. This year the Scuderia hasn't been winning; it's been a difficult season for them, but I have no doubt they'll be winning races again soon. For me that win was one of the last opportunities to win a race before moving to Williams. I understood that together with the team we would have a lot to do to get Williams back to winning. That victory had a huge impact on my confidence, on my own beliefs.

      Now I've adapted to Williams, I feel I'm gaining momentum. After the good result in Baku, things are starting to come together for me. Not so much in terms of pace, since the speed has been there all year, but more in terms of results and a more effective use of the car's capabilities. We need to keep this momentum and continue to progress. I'm sure next year we'll have a more competitive car. I'm doing everything to help make that happen, helping the team."