Carlos Sainz is set to compete in his final race with Ferrari at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before stepping aside to make way for Lewis Hamilton, who will join the team for the 2025 season.
The announcement came as a shock to Carlos Sainz, who learned during the winter break that Ferrari had decided to part ways with him in favor of the seven-time World Champion. This unexpected news fueled months of speculation about Carlos Sainz’s next move and where he would secure a seat for the upcoming season.
After receiving interest from at least three Formula 1 teams, Carlos Sainz ultimately chose to join Williams for 2025. The decision followed extended discussions with Williams team principal James Vowles, who worked hard to convince the Spaniard of the team’s vision and potential.
Determined to prove Ferrari wrong, Carlos Sainz made it clear that he remains one of the most talented and sought-after drivers on the grid. His victory in Australia shortly after recovering from appendicitis demonstrated his resilience and skill, while another dominant win in Mexico served as a fitting conclusion to his tenure with Ferrari.
Carlos Sainz’s 2023 Formula 1 campaign included a remarkable triumph in Singapore, where he became the only driver to break Red Bull’s dominance that season, ending their hopes of a perfect winning streak. This achievement left many questioning Ferrari’s reasoning for replacing such a capable and competitive driver.
Reflecting on the decision during an interview on the *Beyond the Grid* podcast, Carlos Sainz shared his thoughts on Ferrari’s choice to bring in Hamilton instead of retaining him alongside Charles Leclerc.
Acknowledging Ferrari’s perspective, Carlos Sainz expressed that he now “100% understands” why the team opted for the seven-time Formula 1 world champion. Despite being ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the 2024 Drivers’ standings—by two places and 51 points—Sainz noted that the Mercedes car’s challenges throughout the season played a significant role in Hamilton’s results.
At the time of the announcement in February, the decision sparked widespread debate within the paddock, with many questioning why Ferrari would let go of a proven performer. When asked if he has come to terms with their reasoning, the Spanish driver offered insight into his evolving understanding of the situation: “100%. I understood it almost right from the beginning. I think if it would have been someone else, I would have taken a lot more longer to understand. But when you understand Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion and one of the best – if not the best in history – is going to replace you as Ferrari. And Lewis has decided to do his last part of his career in Ferrari, and that you need to be one of the two drivers sacrificed for that to happen – I understand.” – the Spanish driver pointed out.
“I also understand why it was never going to be Charles. Charles has been the project of Ferrari ever since he’s been a junior driver.” – the future Williams driver added.
Carlos Sainz has faced stiff competition from teammate Charles Leclerc in both qualifying and race results throughout the 2024 season, continuing a trend that has been evident since their time together at Ferrari. Although Sainz has consistently stayed within a tenth of a second behind Leclerc in terms of pace, Leclerc has held a clear advantage in qualifying, winning the intra-team battle by a margin of 13-9 during their first two years together and extending that to 15-7 last season.
In 2024, the qualifying tally stands at 14-8 in favor of the Monegasque driver, meaning he has out-qualified Sainz in every season they have shared a garage at Maranello. This consistency in qualifying performance has given Leclerc the upper hand in terms of grid positions, providing him with a stronger foundation for race results.
On the track, Charles Leclerc has also managed to finish ahead of Carlos Sainz in more races this season, with the Monaco driver securing the better result on 13 occasions compared to Carlos Sainz’s seven. Despite this, Sainz has shown his strength by recording more fastest laps than his teammate, 11 to Leclerc’s 10, highlighting his ability to extract strong single-lap pace during races.
However, when it comes to victories, Charles Leclerc will finish the season with more wins, having claimed triumphs in Monaco, Monza, and Austin. While the Spaniard has demonstrated resilience and consistency, Leclerc’s ability to convert pole positions and race performance into victories has given him the edge throughout the Formula 1 season.
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