Carlos Sainz must have felt incredibly hard done by when he learned that Ferrari were dropping him to sign Lewis Hamilton. Sainz had virtually been a match for Charles Leclerc during their three years as teammates.
In 2021, the first season of the partnership, it was actually Sainz who prevailed, scoring 164.5 points to Leclerc’s 159. The Monegasque struck back the following year, out-scoring his partner by 62 points (308 vs 246) and finishing three spots ahead in second.
But the margin was extremely thin once again in 2023. Sainz, who claimed the only non-Red Bull Grand Prix victory of the year at the Singapore Grand Prix, finished just six points behind.
The 29-year-old’s form in the first few races also had some, including former Red Bull driver Mark Webber, questioning whether Ferrari had made the right decision. Sainz scored podiums in each of the first three races he started and won the Australian GP.
In truth, the Spaniard would almost certainly have retained his seat had the alternative been anyone other than Hamilton, or potentially Max Verstappen. The Mercedes star is the most decorated driver in F1 history, after all.
Carlos Sainz vowed to keep pushing until the end of the season
Speaking to Italian media outlets including it.motorsport, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur lifted the lid on the conversation where he broke the news to Sainz. He was full of praise for his ‘professional’ mindset.
The former McLaren man apparently promised that he would give everything for the Scuderia throughout the 2024 campaign, even if their relationship was coming to an end. Vasseur has no doubts that Sainz will follow through with that commitment.
“I believe that Carlos’ approach is the same that he had when we presented the car in February,” he said. “He’s a professional, and his first reaction was: ‘Ok Fred, it’s a difficult decision, but let’s push until the last corner of the last lap of the season’.
“He is a great professional, totally committed to work, and I am convinced that his contribution will be the same until the end of 2024. I am really satisfied with Carlos.”
Sainz move to Williams could be announced soon
It’s hard to know what’s tougher for Sainz – being dropped by Ferrari, or not receiving a satisfactory offer from another top team in the aftermath. Potential suitors arguably saw the best stretch of his Formula 1 career at the start of the campaign, but that wasn’t enough to convince them.
The problem is Verstappen. Mercedes were only willing to give him a one-year deal in case the Dutchman becomes available in 2026, which risks Sainz ending up in the exact same boat 12 months from now.
And Red Bull have decided against seriously pursuing him too. They’re wary of further tension with the world champion after their fraught relationship at Toro Rosso back in 2015.
It will be painful to leave a Ferrari team that’s enjoying a resurgence. While a title bid this year may not be realistic, the Prancing Horse are certainly laying the groundwork for a 2025 challenge.
What’s more, they’re pushing for a spectacular signing behind the scenes in the form of Adrian Newey. If they do secure the legendary designer, then journalist Peter Windsor says it would be a ‘slap in the face’ for Sainz.
It looks as if he’ll be forced to drop right to the bottom of the F1 grid, at least in the short term. He’s received offers from two of F1’s bottom three teams in Williams and Audi.
James Vowles believes that the former have the edge given that the German manufacturer will need time to realise their potential following their 2026 arrival. If Sainz accepts that logic, then things could move quickly, potentially leading to an announcement before his home race in Spain later this month.
The post 'His first reaction was': Fred Vasseur shares what Carlos Sainz told him after learning he'd be dropped appeared first on F1 Oversteer.