Fred Vasseur Recalls Emotional Moment With Carlos Sainz After Touching Farewell

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has recalled an emotional moment with outgoing driver Carlos Sainz, who makes way for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Having spent four years with Ferrari, Vasseur stressed that the last two years with the Spaniard were the most successful and acknowledged it wasn't an easy situation for Sainz.

Hamilton's Ferrari switch announcement in February shifted the driver market dynamics, leading Sainz to sign with Williams. Ferrari's decision to let him go was a tough one since there was no rationale backing it, except to make way for Hamilton. To commemorate its memorable partnership with Sainz, Ferrari arranged a track day for him and his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., who is also a racing driver, at the Fiorano circuit in Maranello, where the father-son duo drove around in 2-year-old Ferrari F1 cars.

Vasseur felt the session was the best way to thank Sainz and his father for their contributions. Sainz's father has been instrumental in elevating his son to new heights in his racing career and plays a crucial role in advising him on his career decisions. The Ferrari team boss also revealed his "most emotional" moment of the season, stating that it was the Australian Grand Prix where Sainz won his first race of the season after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. Speaking at an event in Maranello, Vasseur said:

"We did the farewell for Carlos, and he did some laps with the car, his father also.

"It was the best way to thank all of them for what they did for the team, and also Carlos Senior."

He added:

"I think with Carlos, we had at least two good seasons.

"Probably the most emotional part of the season for me was in Melbourne when he won the race after the surgery.

"And last year, we had the recovery after the summer break, that he was the guy who got the pole position in Monza, the win in Singapore. His contribution was very important to the improvement of the team.

"I know it was not an easy situation for him, when I had to give him the call in February. You can imagine that it was a tough situation.

"But he was able to keep the same approach all year, to be very professional, very dedicated, to fight until the last corner of the last lap of the last race.

"It [the farewell on Tuesday] was a bit emotional. It's always emotional. Even for the father, it was emotional."