With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari, Carlos Sainz stands without an F1 seat in 2025. Given the uncertainty around Sainz’s future, rumors continue to make rounds about his potential destinations. Audi stands as one of the potential destinations for the Spanish driver. However, Sky Sports’ Karun Chandhok believes Sainz should be focusing on a much more competitive seat like Mercedes.
Ferrari News uploaded a video clip on X (formerly Twitter) where Chandhok discusses the subject of Carlos Sainz. Per the Indian former driver, Sainz shouldn’t head to Audi yet. Given the team will be much younger than the rest of the grid, their competitiveness will be up for debate.
Hence, Chandhok believes it will be in Sainz’s best interest to move to a more experienced outfit. Furthermore, Chandhok (wrongfully) claimed Sainz will be 38 by 2029, which is when he believes Audi would become competitive.
“By the time he (Carlos Sainz) goes to Audi. Let’s say he gets a championship contender in 2029, he’s going to be 38-years-old. This is the prime of his career, he cannot afford to waste it with a new, start-up team.”, said Chandhok.
️| Karun Chandhok on Carlos Sainz:
“I don’t think Carlos wants to go to Audi. By the time he gets a contender in 2029, he’ll be 38.”
“This is his prime. If I was his manager, I would be sending Toto Wolff every metric and spreadsheet of why Carlos is equal to Charles Leclerc.” pic.twitter.com/gq6v5zoLsp
— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) February 28, 2024
Additionally, Chandhok claimed there was little to distinguish between the skills of Sainz and that of Charles Leclerc. Per Chandhok, if he were Sainz’s manager, he would constantly be on the phone with Toto Wolff. Trying to convince the Austrian to sign the #55 driver, he said he would show every metric and every spreadsheet “of why he is an equal to Leclerc.”
Ferrari fans outrage over Karun Chandhok’s comments
As soon as they saw the video clip, Ferrari fans rallied on X to voice their disagreement with Chandhok. Most of them were confused about how the Sky Sports Journalist claimed Sainz to be 38 in 2029, given that he will be turning 30 in 2024.
Very good journalism from Skysports https://t.co/klU47cxnTI
— Catha (@fwrrari_fwends) February 28, 2024
How will he be 39 in five years?
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) February 28, 2024
Bro can’t drive, can’t do math,can’t make sense, what does he even do??? https://t.co/NadTg36Clm
— Juliet | 줄리데 (@ForsakenJuliett) February 28, 2024
On the other hand, Leclerc fans came with their elbows out upon hearing Chandhok say Leclerc and Sainz were equal in performance.
This is why Karun is an absolute fool and just a biased Sainz fan , equal ??? https://t.co/PkuKT6u6i6
— Christosssssss (@Christosss58682) February 28, 2024
Karun just be saying anything https://t.co/YdNCJ845Ao
— 444 (@astoldbysimmy) February 28, 2024
1) Carlos will be 34 in 2029, where is he getting 38 from??
2) You mean these spreadsheets Karun….? https://t.co/XrCqPC1mxl pic.twitter.com/N8n1WJXeWZ— Taylor Rae (@Taylor_Rae_33) February 28, 2024
Carlos is not equal to Charles and never will be. Let’s be serious. https://t.co/5O4OMJitUj
— from the river (@rayxkilli) February 28, 2024
While Chandhok does make a valid point about the competitiveness of Audi, miracles are always a possibility. F1 fans have seen a similar story unfold earlier when Brawn GP came on the grid. Hence, completely writing the German team off might not be the best idea, especially given they will enter the grid under a new age of regulations.
