Carlos Sainz reveals key to having good start in F1 race

The Hungarian Grand Prix was another good race for the 24-year-old, as Sainz started eighth but finished the race after a superb start, overtaking both Pierre Gasly as well as teammate Lando Norris.

With Valtteri Bottas then dropping off because of front wing damage, Sainz found himself in fifth, a position he would onto for the rest of the Grand Prix, despite late pressure from Gasly.

Heading into the race at the Hungaroring, Sainz knew how important a good start would be.

"Overtaking in Hungary is difficult so I knew how important the start was," he wrote in his column.

"Many people ask me how I prepare myself for the first lap of a race, especially after a couple of seasons having good starts. Well, what works for me is to visualise a series of scenarios – both good and bad – which might happen at the start and then work out how I would react to each of them."

"I never commit myself to taking a set line into Turn 1. I guess the visualisation helps the instinct to dictate faster my moves around the other cars. That way, I can react to the lights with confidence and increase my awareness of what is happening around me.

"In Hungary, it was another good one and I got past Pierre and Lando. From there, it was a controlled race."

Partly thanks to these fantastic starts, Sainz now sits seventh in the drivers' standings with 58 points, knocking on the door of sixth place, currently held by Gasly. The Frenchman has just five points more than him. Kimi Räikkönen in eighth has 31 points.