Grapevine: Sainz enjoys Renault F1 outing

The Spaniard delighted his home crowd when he took to the track at the wheel of last year's R25 in front of nearly 80,000 spectators that attended the three-day World Series by Renault meeting.

Sainz was impressed with the car's qualities.

"The acceleration, the braking, the grip, everything is amazing in this car," said Sainz. "I have just been testing in Tunisia for the Dakar rally, so going from desert driving to a Formula One car is a pretty big change.

"They are totally different, light years apart. In Formula One, you need to be a top athlete because the whole body is under duress.

"It is a unique experience, almost impossible to describe, and unlike anything I have felt before. I have been in a fighter plane, I have ridden a 500cc GP bike, but this is something else again. Renault has given me one of the best experiences of my life."