“I Was 99% Sure I Would Continue”: Carlos Sainz Opens Up on What Made Ferrari Exit ‘Tough’

Carlos Sainz was on top of the world. Driving for arguably the biggest name in motorsport, he believed his 2023 Singapore GP victory—making him the only non-Red Bull driver to win that year—had secured his future with Ferrari. He was certain a new contract would follow in 2024.

Sainz, alongside Charles Leclerc, was also widely regarded as one of the grid’s strongest driver pairings.

However, in a sudden turn of events, Ferrari announced Lewis Hamilton as their new driver for 2025, sealing Sainz’s exit before the 2024 season had even begun. The news caught many off guard—none more so than Sainz himself.

The Madrid-born driver was kept in the dark until the last moment. On the Fast and the Curious podcast, he was praised for his composed handling of the news and media scrutiny. However, Sainz admitted that, on a personal level, he wasn’t as calm as he appeared.

“I’m not going to lie to you. It was a tough moment in my career,” he said.

“Thank you, Ferrari, it’s been a pleasure driving for you guys. Forza Ferrari!”

Carlos Sainz’s final radio message to Ferrari ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1LqFo2D2P5

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) December 8, 2024

It was only when the dust had settled that the 30-year-old could understand why Ferrari chose a seven-time World Champion over him. Until then, however, he didn’t feel particularly good about having to leave. “I was 99% sure [that] I would continue in Ferrari. That’s what made it tough,” he revealed.

Sainz knew it was a setback, but he also understood that his best response was to perform at his best and attract strong suitors for 2025 and beyond.

While multiple teams reportedly showed interest in signing him, no top-tier seats were available. In the end, that led him to choose Williams.

Why did Sainz choose Williams?

With Red Bull and Mercedes—who were initially linked to Sainz—settled for other options, Sainz was left with Alpine, Sauber, and Williams to choose from.

In the end, he decided to place his faith in the Grove-based outfit, which had ambitious plans to return to the front of the grid under the leadership of James Vowles.

Despite a disappointing ninth-place finish in the Constructors’ standings last year, Sainz is still convinced he made the right choice.

This confidence comes because of his experience at McLaren. Sainz drove for the Woking-based team between 2019 and 2020, when they were stuck in the midfield. However, he contributed heavily to improving the team, which he believes ultimately resulted in their Constructors’ win in 2024.

Sainz now hopes to replicate the same success at Williams.

In any case, he is very happy to have picked Williams as his new home.

Now, he is one of only four drivers to have driven for the three most successful F1 teams: McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams. The others are Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, and Jackie Ickx.