SUMMARY
- Carlos Sainz and Ferrari contract negotiations reportedly run into turmoil.
- Ferrari rumored to be interestied in Alex Albon alongside Charles Leclerc.
Carlos Sainz has now spent the last 3 years with Ferrari. In these last 3 years, he has more than proved himself with the team. In his debut season with the team, he finished the season with more points than his teammate, Charles Leclerc who had been with the team for 2 years prior.
Last season, we saw Carlos be the consistent and more reliable option for the Prancing Horses. While Charles struggled with consistency at the beginning of the season, Sainz kept the team afloat with his performances. He was also the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix in 2023. Now he is seeking a contract extension with the team.
Carlos Sainz faces obstacles as he aims for a multi-year deal with Ferrari
Charles Leclerc’s contract with Ferrari is very likely to be extended in the coming months. Ever since he won the Italian Grand Prix while driving in the red outfit, he has been the team’s star. However, Carlos Sainz has also been putting in similar performances with the team since joining in 2021.
Charles will most likely receive a multi-year deal to stay with the team. There is also no doubt that his new contract will be worth tens of millions of dollars. However, Carlos is also looking for a similar deal with the team. He thinks he has more than proved himself to be an equal contender to Leclerc.
Fred Vasseur has stated that the 2 drivers will go into the 2024 season as equals. None of the drivers in Ferrari will be given a preference in races. This could make the battle between them entertaining. We saw the 2 Ferraris battle it out in Monza for the podium. That was one of the most entertaining battles of the 2023 season.
🚨 | Contract talks between Sainz and Ferrari are facing obstacles.
There is still a distance between the two parties.
Details below:https://t.co/Kpxd0Yk8yD
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 18, 2024
Sainz is reportedly demanding a multi-year deal to stay with Ferrari. This will give him and the team enough time to develop the car and prepare to win the Championship. However, it seems as though Ferrari are hesitant about this.
It has been rumored that Ferrari is looking to sign Alex Albon to drive alongside Charles Leclerc. This signing would make it easier for Ferrari in terms of designing the car as both of these drivers have similar driving styles.
When does Carlos Sainz’s contract with Ferrari expire?
Carlos Sainz’s contract is set to expire after the upcoming season. So if Ferrari is looking to extend the Spaniard’s contract, they should do so sooner rather than later. If Sainz gets impatient, he could look at his other options who will be more than happy to have him on the team.
There have been rumors of a number of teams going after Carlos to drive for them from the 2025 season. One of the teams that stands out is Sauber.
The Spanish driver was rumored to be on Audi’s shortlist for a long time now. From the 2026 season, Audi will be the works team for Sauber who will be racing under their own name this season. Sauber will be looking to lock in Sainz in order to prepare for Audi’s arrival.
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Sainz’s father already has a successful relationship with Audi. He most recently won the Dakar Rally while driving Audi’s Electric car. It is likely that Sainz Sr. will use his existing connection with Audi to get a seat for his son if his demands are not met by Ferrari.
There have also been rumors of Sainz going back to being a Red Bull driver replacing Sergio Perez who’s contract will also expire after the 2024 season. However, his move to Audi seems more likely to happen. the next few months should be interesting as F1 is about to enter its silliest silly season. There will be a total of 14 drivers out of a contract after the 2024 season.