F1 News: Carlos Sainz On Lewis Hamilton Taking Ferrari Seat - "No Brainer"
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, whose Ferrari seat will be occupied by Lewis Hamilton next year, revealed that there are no hard feelings between both drivers since it is all part of Formula 1 racing. In fact, the Spaniard sided with the seven-time world champion, suggesting that he would have done the same if he were in Hamilton's place.
Key Takeaways:
- Carlos Sainz, set to be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, holds no hard feelings and supports Hamilton's decision, stating he would have made a similar choice.
- Sainz, now exploring other options, is rumored to be linked to Red Bull, Audi, and Mercedes for future opportunities.
- Both drivers express mutual respect, with Sainz emphasizing his respect for Hamilton's career journey, and Hamilton highlighting the positive relationships among F1 drivers, hoping it will remain unchanged despite professional dynamics.
While the British driver moves from Mercedes to Ferrari next year alongside Charles Leclerc, Sainz is left looking for other options. Rumors connecting him to a future Red Bull, Audi, and Mercedes seat have been doing the rounds.
Sainz emphasized that he had a lot of respect for Hamilton and that there are no hard feelings for him. Speaking to Formula1.com ahead of the season opener in Bahrain, he said:
“From my side obviously no hard feelings, with anyone.
“I think this is how the sport works. Obviously I have a lot of respect for Lewis, the success he’s had and obviously the choice to join Ferrari. I would have done the same in his position.
“I think Ferrari’s a great team and at some point towards the second half of your career – or at the end, I don’t know where he’s at right now, he only knows – but for sure it’s a team you would like to be part of, so I fully understand that. And [with] someone like Fred [Vasseur] that he knows and he has a good relationship with and trusts, it’s a no-brainer to go to Ferrari.
"From my side obviously, as I said, no hard feelings. I’m focusing on my future and where am I going to go next, and in the meantime [I will] keep doing the best I can for this team.”
Responding to Sainz, Hamilton conveyed his admiration for the fellow driver and acknowledged the significant journey he has undertaken in his career. He added:
“I second what Carlos said in the sense that I think what’s most important is that we have, I think, a really good relationship.
“I think that’s something that all us drivers have actually improved on over these past couple of years. There’s a huge amount of respect between us all and I have a huge amount of respect for Carlos. I don’t feel like there’s any animosity or anything like that.
“I think he’s done an amazing job. He’s come a long way obviously from when he started within the sport to the output that he has now and the way he approaches things. He’s grown to be a real strong voice within the driver line-up that we have and has really been contributing to decisions that we’re making within the sport.
“He’s clearly done a great job within his team, so it’s not a personal thing, it’s what happens in this racing world and I hope that nothing changes between us. I don’t think that it will.”