The partnership between Carlos Sainz and Ferrari, lasting four years, is set to conclude in about a month, despite the excellent season he’s had and the two victories he has achieved so far.
As widely known even before the start of the season, Frederic Vasseur, though not in urgent need of changing the driver line-up, didn’t want to miss the chance to sign an absolute top-tier driver like Lewis Hamilton, forming a legendary duo ready to bring joy to Ferrari fans in 2025.
Upon hearing the news, Carlos Sainz and his team chose to adopt a wait-and-see approach for several months, ultimately announcing the two-year deal with Williams until 2026 at the start of the summer break.
Many in the industry, however, were surprised that no top team approached the Spaniard, given his strong results and his driving maturity that reflects that of a veteran.
A Top Driver Without a Top Team
One of those surprised is Damon Hill, who himself won his first and only career title with Williams in 1996. Hill believes that “any team would benefit from having Carlos by their side. He’s a complete professional.”
“He’ll clearly look back with a bit of a tear as he leaves Ferrari, because he really contributed a lot to them.” – the former F1 driver pointed out – “Maybe he’s not as fast as Charles Leclerc on some occasions, but he’s an absolutely brilliant driver. I take it as a compliment that he didn’t go to Red Bull.”
In recent weeks, Carlos Sainz has actually returned to the center of market rumors (despite already having a contract) due to a possible swap with Sergio Perez for next season.
However, these rumors were quickly dismissed by Christian Horner, who did not want to fuel the speculation: “There are always many in the paddock. Carlos Sainz will be a Williams driver next year. He’s a great driver; he recently had a fantastic victory in Mexico, and I think he’ll do very well for that team. Carlos is committed to Williams and is not in our plans for next year.” – Damon Hill concluded.
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