Carlos Sainz Jr has spoken for the first time it was revealed Lewis Hamilton will quit Mercedes in 2025 and take Sainz’s Ferrari seat.
The Spaniard told Sky Sports he is ‘calm’ and ‘not disappointed’ – and that he is hopeful of bringing a world title to Marinello in his final season with the Italian marque.
“I’m fine, I’m calm, we’re working for the future but above all, for what that we have ahead of us,” Sainz said.
“[It’s] a very important year, my last year with the team and I want to do the best I can. I’m training to prepare as best I can and give everything.”
Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Williams & Stake unveil new 2024 F1 car | 00:55
“No, it didn’t disappoint me,” he added. “Experiencing Ferrari from the inside, I already knew several things and I prepared myself with the team in view of future changes.
“As I said, however, I don’t want to think about anything other than how to give my all this season for Ferrari.
“Knowing that it will be the last year with a team is not the most normal thing to start a new season but as soon as I put on my helmet in Bahrain and get on the track, you can be sure that I will only think about going as fast as possible.
“And if there is the chance to become World Champion I will try to take it.”
Get all the latest F1 news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
Meanwhile, renowned F1 journalist Lawrence Barretto has revealed a host of teams could be in contention to land the two-time race winner in 2025.
Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, Barretto said: “I actually think he’s not in too bad a spot at the minute, I think he probably looked at the fact that he’s lost his seat to the greatest driver of a generation as probably some sort of … it’s probably the best thing that could have happened to him.
“Because it just shows that, if that was going to happen, at least it was Lewis and not like an (Alex) Albon or someone else who he would have felt pretty disappointed by.
“He’s got tonnes of options.”
Mercedes, losing their star driver in 2025, will be looking for someone to partner George Russell – and Sainz “fits that bill”, Barretto believes.
“I think he knows Toto Wolff very well,” he said.
“I know that, at Mercedes, they want consistency and they want someone who’s going to not rock the boat. They want someone who’s going to get on well with George Russell and Carlos Sainz fits that bill.”
MORE NEWS
‘We know the truth’: Erebus boss breaks silence on ugly rift with Supercars champ
‘Extremely serious’: Red Bull crisis talks as team responds to bombshell claim against boss
‘Flood of tears’: Spice Girl twist as F1 investigation rocks Red Bull
But if Mercedes doesn’t work out, there are three teams lower in the standings that could be in the mix – and all have an open spot in 2025.
“I know, for a fact, that he could have an option at Aston Martin,” he said.
“He can have an option at Sauber but that will become Audi in 2026, and he can have an option at Williams.
“I know that they don’t all scream Ferrari at you but they are all teams in the potential ascendancy at different rates over the next few years. So I actually think he’s in a very good spot.
“Once he comes to terms with the fact that his time at Ferrari is over, I don’t think he’s going to be too downbeat. He’s got the potential, if he goes to Mercedes, of a car that could be fighting for race wins almost immediately.
“If he goes to Aston Martin, he’s got a team that’s already fighting for podiums, and it’s going the right way.
“If he goes and hooks up with his old boss Andreas Seidl at Sauber, he’s got a manager who he knows can turn things around.
“And, if he goes to Williams, look what James Vowles has done in the course of a year and the money that they’re putting into that team. It could be a lot worse for him.”