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Carlos Sainz thinks that he and Max Verstappen were evenly matched when they were team mates at Toro Rosso.
In the two races that both finished while team mates in 2016, each driver outperformed the other once, but following Daniil Kvyat's demotion from Red Bull, it was Verstappen who made the switch to the senior team.
"When we were together at Toro Rosso, there were only a couple of tenths between us. Sometimes the pendulum was with him, then it swung back to me," Sainz told Auto Motor und Sport. "We were more or less at eye level."
While Verstappen's move has seen him take his maiden Grand Prix win, Sainz and Toro Rosso have struggled with their ageing Ferrari powerplants.
"Put it this way: it's certainly not an advantage," he admits. "McLaren (Honda) has made up ground and on tracks like Spa and Monza, we will find it hard."
Next year the team will revert to Renault engines, something that Sainz thinks will be beneficial.
"When you see the progress Renault has made in the last few months, then I'm really confident," he said.
Earlier this year, Sainz's future was under question but now he's been re-signed for 2017, the Spaniard can look forward to a third year in F1.
"It's a good feeling," he admitted. "Especially so early in the season. I know from personal experience how nervous you feel if you are not confirmed. And I really look forward to a third year at Toro Rosso."
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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