Sainz looks back at Ferrari: thoughts on his exit, Hamilton’s podium drought and Leclerc’s results. Carlos Sainz reflects on his Ferrari past.

F1 | The former Ferrari driver looks back: “I think I left a good memory, and about Hamilton’s missing podiums…”

In a post-season interview, Carlos Sainz reflected on his past at Ferrari, on Lewis Hamilton’s absence from the podium this year, and on what he believes he might have been able to achieve in red. Carlos Sainz has just completed his first season with Williams, closing a positive campaign that included two podium finishes (plus one in the Sprint), fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship and ninth position in the Drivers’ standings. After a year away from Maranello, the Spanish driver returned to discussing Ferrari and its two current drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

The story between Carlos Sainz and Ferrari began in 2021, when the team selected the British-born Spaniard to race alongside Charles Leclerc, replacing Sebastian Vettel. After a first season without victories for the Scuderia, Sainz clinched his maiden win in red at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Then came the famous 2023 Singapore victory, achieved thanks to a strategy crafted by the Madrid-born driver himself, earning the only non-Red Bull win of that entire season. When everything seemed to be running smoothly between Ferrari and Carlos Sainz, Maranello decided to part ways with him to bring Lewis Hamilton to Italy.

During his final season as a “lame duck” within the team, the 1994-born driver still secured several podiums and two victories, including the one in Mexico, which remains Ferrari’s most recent win to this day. Interviewed by the Spanish outlet Marca, Carlos Sainz once again spoke about Ferrari now that he has wrapped up his first season as a Williams driver.

“Does Ferrari miss me? I don’t think I can answer that,” Carlos Sainz said. “I’m no longer there every day, so I can’t know how things are going. On a personal level, though, I like to think I left a good memory among my colleagues and the fans: they were four intense years, during which I built great friendships and professional relationships.” – the Spanish driver explained after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The comparison with Hamilton and Leclerc

“Regarding this season, I am satisfied with my two podiums in Baku and Qatar, and with the one I achieved in the Sprint in Austin,” the Spaniard continued, though he refused to comment on Hamilton’s lack of podium finishes.

“I’m not interested in other people’s misfortune: I’m happy to have achieved these results with Williams, especially in a year where there were many doubts about my ability to do so. When I announced my move to Williams, some people almost felt sorry for me, but I saw it as a new chapter and an opportunity.”

Avoiding any direct comparison with Hamilton, the interviewer then asked Carlos Sainz whether he thought he would have scored podiums with Ferrari, considering those achieved by Charles Leclerc. “I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it,” he said.

“In the past we were always close in terms of results, but speculating about these things doesn’t do me any good. My goal now is to keep improving with Williams and make sure the team is in the best possible shape for 2026,” he concluded.