Carlos Sainz Narrates How He Became $30,000,000 Richer Sitting In His Pajamas

Kriti Shukla | 13/09/2023
Carlos Sainz Narrates How He Became $30,000,000 Richer Sitting In His Pajamas

Carlos Sainz has driven for several teams during his F1 career so far but earned his dream move only in 2021. He joined Ferrari, teaming up with Charles Leclerc. However, recently, Sainz revealed that he signed his deal with the team, which made him $30,000,000 richer, while he was in his pajamas. The Madrid-born driver revealed the same during the P1 show.

Sainz’s move from McLaren to Ferrari came out of the blue. He initially joined them in 2021 but signed an extension that will keep him in Maranello until at least 2024. Considering the love he has for the team, if things don’t unravel for Sainz at Ferrari, he might as well continue beyond 2024. His initial salary was $8,000,000, but after his extension and earnings, Sainz has now earned more than $30,000,000 in his three seasons with the team.

Sainz’s Ferrari deal in lockdown pajamas

Sainz revealed that he negotiated his Ferrari deal from his home in Spain, during the 2020 lockdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Spaniard said he had to think carefully about his decision. He was just one year into his McLaren contract and was already thinking about moving to Ferrari, midway into the 2020 campaign.

In the end, he decided to sign for the prancing horses. However, he could not share the news with anyone, as the announcement was delayed for various reasons. Carlos Sainz said he had enough time to consider the deal, but it was unexpectedly early.

Talking about this, Sainz said, “I had a lot of time to think about the contract, but it happened so quickly. One day I woke up in my pajamas and I was signing the contract. I couldn’t celebrate or tell anyone because it was good news in a bad moment.”

The Ferrari driver talked about how difficult it was to control his emotions and excitement, especially when talking to his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., who is not only a two-time rally World champion but also a devoted Ferrari fan.

Carlos Sainz linked to Audi for 2026

Carlos Sainz has been rumored to be considering a move to Audi in 2026 when the German automaker enters Formula 1. The rumors have been fueled by the fact that Sainz’s father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is a former rally driver for Audi. However, Sainz denied the rumors, insisting he was committed to Ferrari and not thinking about his future beyond 2024.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said that he is “fully aligned” with Carlos Sainz on the Spaniard’s future at the team, despite rumors linking him with a possible move to Audi.

Vasseur said, “We have still 18 months of contract in front of us. But I think that with Carlos, we are fully aligned. We want to continue together.” The Ferrari team principal believes Carlos Sainz can help the team’s challenge for the championship in the coming years.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Carlos Sainz Jr Scuderia Ferrari

About the author

Kriti Shukla

Don’t miss these