Sainz thinks he's as good as Leclerc, Hamilton

Nov.30 (GMM) Carlos Sainz insists he is “100 percent convinced” that he is as good as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Seven time world champion Hamilton is arriving at Maranello next year to oust and replace Sainz, with the Spaniard having to settle for Williams.

As a gesture to Sainz, Ferrari boss team boss Frederic Vasseur has agreed to allow the 30-year-old to get his first taste of the Williams in the post-Abu Dhabi GP test – prior to the official expiry of his contract.

“The story with Carlos is that I want to thank Carlos for the collaboration. I don’t want to block him,” said the Frenchman.

“I think he did a very good job with us this season and a very professional one because it would have been easy to have a not so professional attitude. And for me, the best way to thank Carlos was also to give him the opportunity to do the test with Williams,” Vasseur added.

Sainz will not only drive when the official Abu Dhabi test begins on the Tuesday after the race, he will also be in action the day before for a ‘filming day’.

Williams incumbent Alex Albon is looking forward to Sainz’s early arrival, even if he admits he hasn’t had “too much” contact with his 2025 teammate to date.

“I wish I could say more, but I think once Abu Dhabi happens, I’ll be very keen to hear his feedback on the car,” said Albon. “See where his head’s at compared to Ferrari.

“Obviously he’ll have a very fresh mind of driving the Ferrari and then, coming into Williams, knowing where are our strengths? Where are our weaknesses?

“At the same time, I’ve spent now three years at Williams, and it’s nice to almost have someone a little bit fresher than me. And of course, I know he will push me.”

So as Sainz’s four-year tenure at Ferrari winds to a close, he is keen to depart with the message that he doesn’t think Vasseur is getting a superior driver lineup for 2025 and beyond.

“I am 100 percent convinced that in my best form, I am the best,” he told Corriere della Sera newspaper. “It is very difficult to beat me – the example is Mexico.

“I just have to improve in consistency. Charles has been more consistent at the highest level, as has Hamilton.”

But what about Max Verstappen? The new quadruple world champion declared after Las Vegas that he thinks he could have won the 2024 title “earlier” if he had been in a McLaren or Ferrari rather than a Red Bull.

“His season was not only phenomenal, it was one of the best in F1 history,” Sainz answered. “As for the car, I should drive it.”