The revelation that Lewis Hamilton will depart Mercedes for Ferrari, which announced a new multi-year deal for Charles Leclerc only last Thursday, necessarily means there is no room for Scuderia incumbent Carlos Sainz beyond the expiration of his current 2024 Formula 1 deal.
Sainz made plain that he wanted his future to be secured before the start of the new season so he could enter with a clear head. The Spaniard - signed by ex-Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto - thought this meant agreeing revised terms with the squad’s new F1 boss Fred Vasseur.
The two-time grand prix winner has stacked up convincingly alongside Leclerc across their three years at team-mates. As such, Sainz was in a strong position to negotiate a pay rise and at least a two-year extension to take his Ferrari stay up to the new rules cycle starting in 2026.
But talks dragged on. Speaking in December, Vasseur put this down to a hectic year.
“I have to admit that the last part of the season was a big chaos for everybody," said the Ferrari team principal.
"It was very demanding. We had meetings and we started the discussion, but we are late compared to the initial plan.”
It has since transpired that Vasseur and Ferrari president John Elkann were lining up another blockbuster option.
Source: Autosport