1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti has stated he feels sorry for Carlos Sainz ahead of his exit from the Ferrari team. Ferrari informed Sainz at the start of the year that he would depart the squad at the end of the campaign, with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton coming on board in his place. Sainz joined Ferrari in 2021 and has won four grands prix during his stint with the Italian squad. Andretti admitted excitement over the prospect of watching Hamilton race for Ferrari, but acknowledged Sainz has been dealt a difficult hand. “It is great to see a driver like Hamilton coming to Ferrari,” Andretti told La Gazzetta dello Sport . “I am sure he will bring a lot of knowledge, after a whole career spent working with British teams, and also a lot of interest from the fans for this new phase in his life. “On the other hand, however, I have to say that I feel very sorry for Carlos Sainz, who in recent years has shown that he can fight at the highest level and is often on a par with Charles Leclerc. “I think he has been a bit sacrificed and I am sorry that he has not found a top team for his future in Formula 1.”

Andretti backs new Ferrari F1 line-up

Hamilton will be Leclerc's fourth full-time team-mate at Ferrari, a team he linked up with at the start of the 2019 campaign. However, Hamilton will be by far the most accomplished driver to partner Leclerc, with over 100 grand prix wins to his name. Andretti has backed Leclerc to learn from the 30-year-old as they line-up alongside each other and attempt to return Ferrari to consistent front-running form. “Everyone experiences things differently and you would need to know all the details of the deal to know Leclerc's position,” Andretti said. “What is certain is that it will be a big boost for Charles next year to have a champion like Hamilton by his side. “Next season we will also have a lot of rookies on track, like Kimi Antonelli making his Mercedes debut at only 18 years old.”

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