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Lewis Hamilton

Sainz Sr makes staggering Hamilton claim: 'He approached Ferrari'

Lewis Hamilton has replaced Carlos Sainz at Ferrari this year, with the Spaniard having moved to Williams in the midfield on a multi-year deal.

Carlos Sainz Sr has staggeringly claimed that it was Lewis Hamilton who approached Ferrari over a move, not the other way around. 

Ferrari signing the seven-time world champion on a multi-year deal resulted in Sainz Sr's son departing the Maranello-based team at the end of last season. 

The 30-year-old has joined Williams on a multi-year deal, despite having performed well last year.

Due to Hamilton's 2025 transfer having been announced ahead of the 2024 campaign, the four-time F1 race winner knew it would be his last with Ferrari.

Ferrari ensured it gave the Spaniard a fitting farewell, with the driver having been given a brand-new car whilst his father received a run in a Ferrari F1 car at Fiorano. 

In a further nod of the Italian team's appreciation, it allowed Sainz Jr to participate for Williams in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

Sainz Sr understands why Ferrari opted to sign Hamilton rather than offer his son a new contract but insists the arrival of the 40-year-old was pushed by the Briton himself. 

"I wouldn’t describe it as the Scuderia behaving badly,” Sainz Sr told El Cafelito

"The circumstances of the perfect storm have arisen. Ferrari was happy with Carlos but the possibility appeared because Hamilton himself produced it.

"It is he who approached Ferrari, then the circumstances arose. Perhaps that process could have been clearer, but then it would have been leaked and Ferrari did not want it to be.

"But then they had a fantastic detail with [Sainz Jr], a gesture that they have not had with practically any driver in their history, which is the farewell. They gave him a car, they invited me to drive in Fiorano with a Formula 1 [car]."

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