Carlos Sainz believes F1's 2021 rules overhaul has the potential to provide McLaren with a crucial "shortcut" back into front-running contention - but he has stressed they must first carry their current momentum into 2020.

Sainz and McLaren proved two of the success stories of F1 2019 with the Spaniard enjoying his best season in F1, while the Woking team returned to the top four of the Constructors' Championship for the first time in seven years.

Although F1's core regulations are stable over this winter, the wholesale rewriting of technical and financial rules for 2021 onwards offers the next obvious chance to significantly shuffle the established pack.

Sainz told Sky Sports F1: "The regulations in 2021 are a great opportunity for McLaren.

"McLaren might have taken a lot of years to get back on top, but '21 allows us to create kind of a shortcut to a better position - and we need to take that. I think 2020 is still important because we want to continue the trend, but '21 is an opportunity."

First there is 2020 to prepare for, with Sainz admitting he is "excited" about what McLaren can achieve next season.

"I know that next year we're not going to fight for a world championship, but I know that next year we have a good chance of making another good step, and that good step needs to come little by little," he said.

"I don't say we need to do another 1.5-second step like we've done from last year to this year, but keep digging those tenths out of the car and just keep the way we're going at the moment."

0:48 Carlos Sainz talks us through his final lap overtake of Nico Hulkenberg to claim sixth place in the Championship Carlos Sainz talks us through his final lap overtake of Nico Hulkenberg to claim sixth place in the Championship

Sainz reflects on career-best 2019

Sainz's fifth F1 season proved his most successful yet with a succession of strong performances, headlined by a career-first podium in Brazil, placing him sixth in the Drivers' Championship.

That meant he finished as 2019's lead midfield runner and ahead of two drivers in Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon who each spent half a season at race-winning Red Bull.

Sainz was voted fourth in F1's drivers' driver of the year poll, while he was also placed third in Sky F1's driver ratings averages behind just Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the final race of the season, Sainz said: "I remember last year finishing here in Abu Dhabi on a high with P6 [for Renault] in the race and going to McLaren thinking, 'if I get everything together, I can do well in McLaren'.

"But obviously it was an unknown what was going to happen with me and McLaren and how the team was going to perform one year later.

Seat fit for 2020 done! It makes me really happy to go into Christmas holidays with this kind of things already sorted. Cheers guys! @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/VpeGU0KApx — Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) December 10, 2019

"But every sign that I could see from the team was positive. I went testing here and I saw a team atmosphere that I have never seen in any other team before. This created a big positive feeling going into the winter."

Rejuvenated on and off the track after a number of years in the doldrums, McLaren beat Renault - their engine suppliers and Sainz's former employers - to fourth in the standings with room to spare.

"We prepared massively for this season," added Sainz. "And put together the strongest season of my Formula 1 career and the strongest season of McLaren in the last five-six years.

"It's great news to see that we can do this."