It was one of the worst kept secrets that Sebastian Vettel would be leaving Ferrari at the end of this season. However, his replacement was very much up in the air for some time. The signing of Spanish 26-year-old Carlos Sainz Jr., the son of two-time World Rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr., on a two-year deal has been broadly praised by fans of the Scuderia in recent weeks.

Sainz has endured a roller-coaster ride in F1 so far in his brief career. Difficult spells with Red Bull and Renault were followed by a successful drive with McLaren in the last two seasons, where he has demonstrated immense consistency and speed.

Sainz will be looking to finish on a high with McLaren this season. In Bahrain, the Spaniard was an odds-on favourite to at least secure a points finish. Betfred were as short as 3/10 on him coming in the top ten. UK-based Ferrari fans can get £30 in free bets on this outcome or any other F1 race left in the 2020 season by signing up to Betfred for the first time, as well as a host of free spins on the site’s selected slot titles. And with Sainz in form, that looks like a safe bet!

Once the season draws to a close in Abu Dhabi, the Scuderia will turn their attentions to 2021 and what Sainz can achieve in tandem with Charles Leclerc. We’ve put together five reasons that Sainz Jr. will be able to excite the Scuderia faithful in the 2021 F1 campaign:

1. He has become the best driver outside the ‘big three’ teams

When Sainz Jr. burst onto the F1 scene back in 2015, he was regarded as highly as the likes of Max Verstappen. For one reason or another, his path to racing further up the grid has been slower than Verstappen’s. However, recent seasons have proven that he has the potential, becoming the most consistent driver outside Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull, finishing ahead of Gasly and Albon in last year’s standings.

2. Sainz Jr. embraces tricky race conditions

Sainz Jr. has received a ringing endorsement of his capabilities from McLaren’s team principal Andreas Seidl. The Spaniard was praised by Seidl for his ability to handle “tricky conditions” after finishing fifth in the wet weather of Turkey. Seidl says that he is capable of “making the moves stick” in “wet or mixed conditions”.

3. Sainz Jr.’s arrival creates Ferrari’s youngest ever driver pairing

The Scuderia has a third new driver pairing in four seasons. It’s an historic one this time around too. Leclerc and Sainz Jr. will become Ferrari’s youngest ever team, with a combined age of just 49. It’s a bold and ambitious step for Ferrari to take, as they seek to at least bring the F1 constructors’ title back to Maranello for the first time in over ten seasons. Although Sainz Jr. is likely to be Ferrari’s new ‘official’ number two, the pair are likely to be given the freedom to race.

4. It begs the question as to what the future holds for Vettel

Sainz Jr.’s arrival at Maranello means the end of the road for Sebastian Vettel. The German is also running out of potential drives for the 2021 F1 season, given that Daniel Ricciardo has been confirmed as Sainz Jr.’s replacement at McLaren. It could accelerate Vettel’s plans for retirement, with Renault seemingly the only viable option at present for the four-time world champion.

5. Sainz Jr. is passionate about building factory relationships

When Sainz Jr. teamed up with McLaren in 2019, he was committed to finding a place to live close to the McLaren factory in Surrey. That’s because the Spaniard was keen to integrate himself into the fabric of the team. He took the time to forge working relationships with engineers across the factory and it’s paid off in the last 18 months. You can bet your bottom dollar that Sainz Jr. will do the same at the Maranello compound.