Carlos Sainz claims his Ferrari replacement Lewis Hamilton is not a better driver than him – and reckons that everyone on the grid would say the same.
Ferrari announced a shock deal to bring seven-time world champion Hamilton to the Prancing Horse for the 2025 Formula One season in February. It appeared a straightforward decision for the iconic Italian outfit given Hamilton’s legendary status and the Brit’s eagerness to embark on a new journey after 11 years at Mercedes.
Hamilton’s arrival will spell the end of Sainz’s five-year stint with Ferrari. And the Spaniard’s future remains unclear, as he is yet to claim a seat at one of the other teams.
Sainz is not bitter about being dropped, however, admitting that he understands the team’s decision because of the “appeal” of signing a seven-time champion. Yet he backed himself by insisting that the decision was not necessarily one based on ability.
The 29-year-old said in an interview with GQ Spain: “I honestly believe that Hamilton is not a better driver than me. If you ask this question to the 18 other drivers, they will answer the same. I think I’m the best option for any Formula 1 team because if I didn’t have this mentality, I wouldn’t be a Formula 1 driver and I wouldn’t have the competitive soul that I have.”
Commenting on the allure of Hamilton’s past success for a team like Ferrari, Sainz added: “When I think about it in those terms, it doesn’t hurt me so much, because the person who is replacing me is one of the best drivers in the history of the sport.”
The former Renault and McLaren driver confessed that the year started “in a complicated way.” He said: “The news and the announcement of my non-renewal and the arrival of Hamilton at Ferrari already gave a strange feeling to the beginning of the year, knowing that it would be my last year at Ferrari. But I’ve started the season very well. Obviously, I’m looking forward to proving my worth.
“At the moment, I have to take the opportunity to have a car this year that allows me to win some podiums. I have to take advantage of those opportunities to win because I don’t know if I will have them next year.”
Looking ahead to his future, Sainz is adamant that it will be as important to “have a competitive car” as soon as possible as it will be finding “a project” that gives him stability and motivation. “I’m trying to find the balance between the best of both things, and that’s why it’s not easy because it’s a very important decision for my career,” he admitted.
“Williams is a very emblematic team in Formula 1, and it’s one of the few I have left, Red Bull Racing as well, Mercedes too, there are two or three teams I haven’t been to yet that I might go to in the future. I’ve been in five different teams in these ten years, and I have very good memories of each one of them.”
He claimed he does not feel underestimated by people who “know Formula 1 well” but thinks the media and fans may have forgotten his ability. Sainz is currently fourth in the drivers’ standings on 154 points – eight points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc and 29 points ahead of Hamilton.
