Carlos Sainz has never publicly criticized Ferrari for deciding to replace him with Lewis Hamilton for next year. But the future Williams F1 driver admits he was shocked to learn he would be leaving the Scuderia as he was confident his contract would be extended.
“I think at the beginning of the year I was tested like I had never been tested before and life put me in a situation that was not comfortable at all” commented Sainz. “I was told I wasn’t going to continue with the team I was 99% sure I would continue with over the winter.”
“It was a huge shock to my hopes and I obviously didn’t enjoy the moment. I continued to train and prepare for this season, aiming to be ready to win races, to win a championship if the opportunity presented itself, and I approached this year still full of energy.”
“But obviously with this uncomfortable situation and this uncomfortable moment. I remember being very emotional on the podium of the Australian Grand Prix because there was my father, my manager, my girlfriend, everyone who was there. my side. I was obviously thinking of my mother.”
“They all saw me suffering during the winter. When I say suffering, I don’t mean that I was crying behind closed doors, but I was really hurt. I was hurt because I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t prepared for this kind of news. I was in a bit of shock for a while.”
“I remember after Australia, I said to myself that I was lucky to have the people around me, who supported me and who gave me the inner strength necessary to overcome this difficult moment. Now , when I think about it, I’m almost happy, proud that it happened, because it made me a much better driver and a much better athlete in general.”
However, the Spaniard does not rule out returning to Maranello in the future if the opportunity arises. He would then follow the example of drivers like Kimi Räikkönen or Clay Regazzoni: “Yeah, why not? I don’t see why not. At the same time, I don’t see how it could happen anytime soon.”
“But life is long. I’m 30 years old. You see drivers at 42 years old in F1, so if I stay in F1 that long, who’s to say that in the next 10 years, Ferrari might need me again services in the future?
“That doesn’t mean I want it to happen or look forward to it or anything like that – I have a very big goal in mind now, which is to help Williams get back to head of the pack – so I don’t think about it too much.”
