Carlos Sainz Jnr paid tribute to his race engineer Gaetan Jego, who was moved to tears on the radio following their podium finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The pair began working together after Sainz joined Williams at the beginning of the year. They endured a largely frustrating season in which their highest finish in a grand prix prior to the last event was eighth place.

But Sainz converted a surprise front-row start in Baku into the team’s first podium finish in a full-distance race for eight years. Jego was audibly emotional as the pair spoke on his in-lap.

“You sound a bit emotional, are you okay?” Sainz asked him at one point. Instead of his race engineer, Williams team principal James Vowles appeared on his radio and replied: “Yeah, I can confirm he is.”

Sainz said he has encountered few people who put as much effort into their work as his current race engineer. “It’s been a tough year for both of us,” he told the official Formula 1 channel. “You probably don’t see it from the outside but you cannot imagine the amount of hours we put into the car, into the simulator sessions, into the set-up development, into making that car go quicker.”

Jego previously worked with Franco Colapinto, Logan Sargeant and Nicholas Latifi before Sainz joined the team.

“He’s an incredibly hardworking guy, probably the hardest worker I’ve ever worked with in Formula 1 – and I’ve worked with a lot of people,” said Sainz. “I tell you, no one puts more hours than him into this sport and into this life.

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“So not being able to capitalise on results with all the work that we were putting was feeling incredibly frustrating for both of us and we were both starting to feel it. And then suddenly to come back with a podium and a weekend like that, I think it’s probably caught him in the end.

“It was good to see. I like it because it means it matters for him as much as it matters to me. And I like working with people that are hard workers and what we do matters [to them] and I could tell it mattered.”

Selected messages from Sainz and Jego during the Azerbaijan GP

Lap: 38/51 SAI: 1’44.786
Jego Mode five now, please, instruction, mode five.
Sainz I don’t agree, I need battery for when he pits.
Jego Yeah, it’s just we’re trying to put Russell in the window. As soon as he’s in the window, that’s okay. You’re doing great. Russell staying out.
Sainz I thought he was…
Jego No, no, he’s not. If you want to go back mode six, now you can.
Lap: 39/51 SAI: 1’44.877
Jego Antonelli last lap 44.8. [Unclear] pack, we are energy rich, so even mode five is not low.
Jego Russell is pitting, closing lap 39. 12 to go? You’ll be in front of him.
Jego It’s going to be close with Russell, get ready. Going to be close with Russell. Energy is available, early overtake available.
Russell comes out of the pits ahead of him
Lap: 40/51 SAI: 1’45.530
Jego Okay, that’s Russell on used medium.
Jego Verstappen is pitting now, so currently you are P3, Russell on fresher rubber with car pace, it will be difficult. We have nine laps advantage on Antonelli, currently 1.6 behind, I think that’s your race for P3. 11 to go.
Lap: 41/51 SAI: 1’45.220
Sainz Copy, leave it to me please.

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Lap: 51/51 SAI: 1’44.449
Jego Speaking before Sainz reached the line
That’s taking the flag, you’re clear of Antonelli. Amazing job, all the way through the weekend. Kept your head down. Brilliant qualifying yesterday, brilliant race today that’s P3 mate. An amazing job.
Chequered flag
Jego Okay, that’s flag, P3, P3. Pick up rubber. Enjoy mate, enjoy. Brilliant race, brilliant race.
Sainz Vamos! Vamos! Best podium in my career, guys. You cannot imagine how this tastes. Thank you so much.
Vowles Carlos I’ve had the pleasure of having many podiums, I assure you, this is up there for me. Well done. Vamos! Absolutely incredible. Come on, let’s go.
Sainz Come on! This is the beginning of something nice, guys. Something great. Thank you so much. I knew this was coming. I told you a few races ago. I knew it! I knew it! You just need to believe. Thank you!
Sainz I just wanted to say, this is my first smooth operation in Williams.
Jego Loving it.
Sainz And not the last, and not the last.
Jego Procedure top three, position ‘race’, return to the pit lane and you will find the board number three. Just park there. When you park, switch off fully the car… [His voice cracks]
Sainz Vamos, Gaetano! You sound a bit emotional, are you okay?
Vowles Yeah, I can confirm he is.
Sainz [Laughs] I love making a French cry, a little bit of emotion, that’s it. Say hello to the family at home, Gaetan, send them my regards.
Jego Thank you mate, appreciate it.

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