Sainz ‘cannot understand’ certain F1 driver market calls

Carlos Sainz has admitted it "hurt" being overlooked for a top drive in F1 when his Ferrari contract concludes at the end of the season.

The Spaniard will be replaced at the Scuderia by Lewis Hamilton and highlighted the "ego" shared by F1 drivers to explain his feeling, whilst expressing his inability to "understand" certain F1 driver market decisions heading into 2025.

Having settled for a seat at Williams, the 30-year-old will have to work his way back into race-winning machinery - either or without the Grove-based team.

However, the four-time grand prix winner did acknowledge how being slighted by F1's elites has afforded him an exciting challenge with the nine-time constructors' champions.

“I’ve definitely come to peace and I’m a true believer that if I’m not going there, it’s because life just doesn’t want me to be there – there’s something else coming after that that will actually turn out to be good,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1.

“It hurt at the time. We all have egos… I have a driver ego and I couldn’t understand it at the time. I still personally cannot understand certain choices that people have done.

“At the same time, it creates even more of a challenge in me, it even makes me more excited for Williams. Williams is the one that has invested in me, that have backed me up from the beginning, the ones that came to me a full year ago.

“It actually makes me super excited. I’ve said, ‘I want to give to these guys what they’ve given to me’, give back to them this trust and this belief in me. It gives me good strength. I cannot wait to go there and together with them build something good.”

Partnering Albon

At Williams, Sainz will join Alexander Albon, who has seldom had a team-mate on an equal footing at the team.

Prior to Franco Colapinto stepping up from the academy six rounds ago, the 28-year-old had comfortably over-matched and out-classed Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant since joining Williams in 2022.

Sainz, meanwhile, is keen to draw upon his experiences from both McLaren and Ferrari to forge a strong partnership with Albon, a driver he anticipates with be "great" to work with.

“I had a really good experience in McLaren, having this really good camaraderie with Lando [Norris], both being kind of, not number ones, but I was maybe the experienced [driver], he was more the rookie, but we were both pushing each other flat-out,” he added.

“It’s a similar way to Charles here [at Ferrari], although maybe Charles has always been seen maybe as the future of the project. But I’ve always enjoyed having strong team mates.

“I think Alex is going to be a great guy to work with next year, and I think with my experience from Ferrari, I can just probably help Williams to become a better team and work together with Alex to build a strong team like I did in McLaren with Lando.”