One 2024 F1 moment that was more difficult for Carlos Sainz than being replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
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The spotlight of the 2025 Formula 1 season will undoubtedly be on Lewis Hamilton as he embarks on his first year with Ferrari, marking a historic chapter in his illustrious career. After spending 17 seasons with McLaren and Mercedes, Hamilton now joins the most iconic team in F1 history, chasing a record-breaking eighth world championship. Ferrari, though a powerhouse in the sport, has not seen a driver claim the championship since 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen narrowly edged Hamilton in the final race of the season.
The Scuderia came agonizingly close to winning the title again in 2008, only for Hamilton’s dramatic overtake on Timo Glock in the closing laps of the Brazilian Grand Prix to deny Felipe Massa his first championship. Since then, Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc have come close, with Alonso finishing second in the standings twice and Leclerc achieving the same feat in 2022, but falling far behind Max Verstappen in the points.
However, 2025 could be the year Ferrari finally ends its championship drought. Unfortunately for Carlos Sainz, he won't have the opportunity to lead the charge. In a difficult decision, team principal Frederic Vasseur chose to replace Carlos Sainz with the British driver for the new season, leaving the Spanish driver to race for Williams instead.
Autosport journalist and F1 expert Roberto Chinchero has shed light on the emotional challenges faced by Carlos Sainz in his exit from Ferrari, revealing that the lack of alternative F1 offers proved to be even harder for the 30-year-old than losing his seat to Hamilton.
Roberto Chinchero discussed Carlos Sainz’s exit from the Maranello team, explaining that while not everyone understood why the team let Carlos Sainz go last year, the driver himself accepted that his replacement would not be just any driver. According to the Italian journalist, it was not the fact that Lewis Hamilton would be taking his seat that was most difficult for Carlos Sainz to accept, but rather that three other top teams had vacancies and did not approach him. Chinchero also noted that, over time, even the Italian media had come to recognize that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was something truly remarkable. He added that while the future would be determined by performance on track, the initial part of the story—without the noise of the engines—had been flawless.
Both Mercedes and Red Bull have made significant changes to their driver line-ups for the 2025 Formula 1 season, while McLaren has remained consistent by keeping Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in their seats. In contrast, Carlos Sainz has embarked on a new chapter of his career with Williams, a team currently positioned lower in the standings than he would have hoped.
Why Did Carlos Sainz Join Williams in 2025?
The announcement of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari in February 2024 created a ripple effect throughout the paddock, and Sainz's availability became widely known well before the driver market frenzy, also known as “silly season,” truly began. With several high-profile drivers entering the market at the end of the 2024 season, the Spaniard was linked to nearly every top team.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes' team principal, confirmed that Sainz was one of their options before they ultimately decided to promote Andrea Kimi Antonelli to the senior team. Meanwhile, Audi expressed a strong desire to sign the Spanish driver, but the current struggles faced by Sauber made it unclear if the team could be competitive in the near future. Red Bull, on the other hand, did not actively pursue Carlos Sainz, potentially due to the strained relationship between his father and Max Verstappen’s camp.
After considering various options, Carlos Sainz chose to sign with Williams, a decision that was welcomed by team principal James Vowles, who was eager to secure the deal. While Williams may not be in a position to compete for championships in the immediate future, Sainz will be looking to help the team climb the standings over the coming seasons. For the Grove-based team, it will be essential to demonstrate to Sainz that, although a title challenge may not be on the cards for now, he has joined an ambitious and upward-bound team.
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