Toro Rosso F1 pair Sainz and Verstappen plan to take more risks

Sainz scored points in his first two grands prix, while 17-year-old Verstappen became the sport's youngest points scorer with seventh in Malaysia and impressed with his overtaking in China before a Renault engine failure ended his race.

Both admitted to taking a sensible approach to the opening few races, and are now keen to push harder.

"It's true that the main target in the first few races is that you have to finish the races to gain experience," Sainz told AUTOSPORT.

"We are used to 30-minute races, not races that last one hour 45 minutes so you really need to finish those races to learn.

"I think we both did that step back in aggressiveness and approach.

"But as the season goes by, I will increase my aggressiveness and attack more."

Verstappen said that his confidence is building and he has already started to take more of an attacking approach in races.

"Every race I'm getting more and more confident in the car," he said.

"Especially in the first two races, you don't want to take too many risks.

"I decided in China it was time to do some overtakes and take some more risks."