Sainz pleased with P3: "Nearly ruined last lap"

Carlos Sainz has had an excellent qualifying. The Spaniard will start from third place in the Italian Grand Prix. Among others Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen were beaten by the McLaren driver.

"I feel very strong since the start of qualifying," said Sainz to Paul di Resta after qualifying. "I drove a very strong lap in Q1 and from that moment on I tried every time to put a 1:19.6 on the clock. I knew that time would give me a top-five position."

In Q3 Sainz should have started further back. "The last lap I almost messed up. I had a big moment in Lesmo 1 and I almost lost control of the car," the future Ferrari driver explains.

Not only the Racing Points and Red Bulls were defeated, but also the Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon. "I thought the Renaults would be faster this weekend, but this was not a bad time for us."