After the Australian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz has been the talk of the paddock with his race winning pace. Ferrari showed their might in Australia taking advantage of shortcomings at Red Bull and Mercedes to secure a 1-2 finish led by Sainz. Sainz has had an up and down past 3 years. While he made some mistakes the majority of his shortcomings have been attributed to bad luck and poor strategy calls. It’s clear that Ferrari made the decision to pass on Sainz but did they make the right choice?
Journey Into History
Sainz’s move to Ferrari marked a significant step in his career. He joined the team alongside Charles Leclerc, from his tenure at McLaren. Sainz had a solid debut season with Ferrari and showcased consistent performances throughout the year. Sainz started off as a regularly finishing in the points and often battling with the front-runners. While he didn’t secure any race victories in his rookie season , he demonstrated his competitiveness and ability to deliver strong results for the team.
Fast forward to 2024 and Sainz has since documented 3 wins and 20 podiums in Formula 1; more than many of his competitors. However, Sainz still doesn’t have a seat for 2025. Ferrari announced that Lewis Hamilton will be taking his place at Ferrari in 2025. The news came at the same time Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. There were questions surrounding his fitness for the Australian Grand Prix but Sainz made the decision to make the trip. His performance however was something no one expected. Winning the race and winning in the dominant fashion he did sparked conversations on whether Ferrari made the right decision.
Charles Leclerc Offers His Thoughts on Sainz
With the decision made to let Sainz go. There are rumors he is linked with a move to Red Bull, Aston Martin and possibly to Mercedes given Hamilton’s departure. Of course nothing is confirmed and this is all speculation. . His current teammate Charles Leclerc said, “I think everybody knows Carlos’ worth in the paddock. He’s one of the highest-rated drivers in the paddock and he’s been extremely strong every time he was in a Formula 1 car. He has showed it multiple times, so I don’t think he’s underrated for that. That’s why I’ve said many times that I’m not too worried about his future, because I’m sure that many, many Team Principals are…he doesn’t say it, but for sure they are speaking with him! And I’m sure he will have many opportunities. He’ll just have to make the best choice for his career.”
As the prospective landing spots for Sainz come to light, fans will be eager to determine his new team for 2025. It is hard to imagine a driver of Sainz’s caliber to end up without a seat for 2025. Stranger things have happened in Formula 1 thought. Only time will tell his fate.