Sainz: I've always peaked in the second half of the season

Sainz impressed in his Ferrari debut in 2021 as he managed to beat the team's start driver Charles Leclerc, but 2022 has been challenging, as he struggled with the team's F1-75, blisteringly fast in the hands of Leclerc.

Sainz finally made his breakthrough at the 2022 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, taking his first career pole and following that by his first Formula 1 career win, which he insisted was a relief.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 at the weekend of the Austrian Grand Prix, Sainz was clearly confident of the progress he made, and insisted he is yet to hit his stride, which will happen in the second half of the season.

"I think we've been doing a better job these last few weekends," he said. "I think since Monaco... Monaco was already a bit of a turning point, fighting there for pole position. Also in Baku, we fought pole. In Canada, we fought for the win.

"I've been picking up a bit of momentum. I wouldn't say I'm 100 per cent there yet. I think there's things still to improve, like we saw in the race in Silverstone," the Spaniard added. "Definitely I feel a lot more in touch and like it could come anytime again soon."

Faced with the questions doubting his chances to fight for a Championship in 2022, Sainz said: "I say let's see at the end of the year.

"I think it's still early," he insisted. "It was early when I finished P2 [at the season opener] in Bahrain and everyone said it's going to be an easy walk in the park for Ferrari.

"I said it when I was in my low moment in Barcelona after the spin in the race, and I say it now: it's too early still to tell and to say.

"I understand people that say [I'm not the championship-challenging Ferrari driver], because it hasn't been my easiest start of the season," the 27-year-old admitted.

"But if you look closely to my last four or five seasons in F1, I've always peaked in the second half and I've always done a very strong second half, so let's wait and see," Sainz concluded.

After winning in Silverstone, Sainz retired from the Austrian Grand Prix after his power unit blew causing a massive fire the engulfed his car.

He was on his way to score second place in the race, but having scored no points means that he now sits fourth in the Drivers' Standings, 75 points adrift of leader Max Verstappen.