Carlos Sainz reveals he was left "completely shocked" by Ferrari's decision to replace him with Lewis Hamilton, a revelation that paradoxically propelled him to new performance levels.
The Big Picture
Sainz detailed the stalled contract talks with Ferrari, his initial certainty of staying, and the sudden revelation from a friend about Hamilton's arrival. This bombshell forced him to reassess his future, eventually leading to a multi-year deal with Williams.
What Sainz Said
- Negotiations stalled unexpectedly: "Contract negotiations with Ferrari were a bit stalled in a weird way, because we were talking since October to renew my contract. They kept postponing the point of signing."
- No suspicion of an issue: "I never felt suspicious, and I never felt like it was not going to happen, because every feedback that I was getting was, ‘We’re going to continue, for sure.’"
- Learned from a friend: "Suddenly, in the middle of January, end of January, I receive a phone call, and they suddenly tell me the news. I heard from a friend that called me."
- Complete shock: "I was completely shocked. I went from believing I was going to be in Ferrari for a while, to suddenly, Lewis is replacing me, and ‘What am I going to do now.’ It never occurred to me that that could happen, and it was a bit shocking."
- A powerful motivator: Despite the initial difficulty, Sainz believes the shock "gave me a bit of a kick, and I think it made me a better athlete, a better driver." He added that "what came out of me in March, April, May, was probably a best version of myself as a racing driver to date."
- Moving forward: His mindset shifted to proving himself. "If there’s nothing you can do… Which at that point, there was nothing I could do, there was zero chance. The contract was signed. I was out. Next thing. What is the next possible thing that I can do? Look at different options."
What's Next
Sainz has now secured a multi-year deal with Williams. He aims to build on his revitalized form, continuing to showcase the peak performance he found after the Ferrari news.