Is the relationship between Sainz and Ferrari already coming to an end?

Currently 5th in the drivers’ championship with 83 points, and incidentally ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc by 9 units, Carlos Sainz is nevertheless not comfortable this season. The Spaniard does not have any podium finishes, while the Monegasque has stood on it twice and secured a pole position.

More and more, Carlos Sainz gets frustrated on the radio and tries to send messages. It is clear that the Spanish driver is becoming frustrated. Many people find that he complains often and are starting to get annoyed with this behavior. Nothing seems to be working perfectly at Ferrari at the moment, and despite his contract with the prancing horse until 2024, we already get the impression that he is looking elsewhere.

A relationship with Ferrari and Leclerc that seems to be deteriorating

The British Grand Prix perfectly showcased the tension in the relationship between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Friends outside of the track, once the helmet is on, it’s a different story. During qualifying at Silverstone, things did not go as planned. Ferrari first asked Leclerc to let his teammate pass in the pit lane, simply to respect the established track order. But Sainz was annoyed by this request. “It’s a bit unfair what you’re asking me to do here. Sacrificing the temperature of my tires. Anyway, it doesn’t matter,” he grumbled over the radio.

But that’s not all. In the preparation for the fast lap, Carlos Sainz deliberately overtook Charles Leclerc in the final corners, in order to start his lap before his teammate. A maneuver deemed unnecessary by many and risky. Charles Leclerc did not miss the opportunity to remark right away on the radio, with all the irony we know him for. « Nice move Carlos, nice move. Great overtake in the last corner! » Even though they claim that this issue has been resolved internally, it shows the increasingly high tension within Carlos Sainz.

In Austria, the week before, the Spaniard had clearly informed the team that he had more pace than Charles Leclerc in the race and therefore should be allowed to pass. However, despite Sainz’s insistence, Ferrari deliberately did not swap positions. Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal, explained this decision after the race, stating that everything had been planned before the start of the Grand Prix. « I think the strategy was the best. We agreed at the beginning of the race to do this », said Frédéric Vasseur.

The Spanish driver, finally finishing 6th in the race, had experienced it as an injustice. In Canada, he had also said on the radio that he had pace compared to Charles Leclerc, without ever putting pressure on him. The world of Formula 1 had actually made fun of Carlos Sainz’s statements on the radio.

But it is evident that the native Madrid driver has been frustrated for several weekends. Moreover, he sees his teammate stepping onto podiums when he cannot. Even though he is ahead of Leclerc in the championship, he does not feel like he is being treated as a number one at Ferrari.

Sainz wants to know his future this winter

Carlos Sainz is increasingly putting pressure on Ferrari to renew his contract. This one expires at the end of the 2024 season, but the driver already wants to know his future, he doesn’t like being in the unknown. « I won’t lie, I don’t enjoy starting my last year of contract without really knowing where I will be racing the following year », the Spaniard declared several weeks ago.

« I went through this process with Red Bull and Renault, and I know it’s not ideal as an athlete and as a driver. It’s simply not the right thing to do. That’s why I took this winter as a reference to try and decide about my future. »

Frédéric Vasseur announced that the contracts of his drivers were not the most important thing for now. Indeed, the recovery of Ferrari is what matters at the moment. While we know that the extension of Charles Leclerc, whose contract also ends in 2024, will be one of Ferrari’s priorities, Carlos Sainz’s contract could take a back seat and the Spanish driver could become impatient. However, Carlos Sainz has already put pressure on Ferrari, allowing himself to look elsewhere if the extension does not progress. « It will be time to look elsewhere. »

The options for your future

So, where could Carlos Sainz’s future in Formula 1 be written, as he still seems to have good years ahead of him at 28 years old?

Of course, the driver ticks the boxes to stay at Ferrari, and for the moment, we don’t see any reason for Ferrari to get rid of him. But nothing is clear yet. We don’t even know if Charles Leclerc will still be in red in the coming years. The next few months will be crucial.

In the meantime, Audi is entering Formula 1 in 2026, and that is indeed a credible option for Carlos Sainz. His father, in particular, is associated with the German brand in the Dakar rally, so that is an advantage, and the family already seems to be connected to Audi. Although these are only rumors, it seems plausible. Furthermore, Andreas Seidl, who left McLaren to join Sauber, will be working with the German manufacturer for its entry into Formula 1. He and Carlos Sainz have worked together at McLaren, which could be an additional asset. But 2026 is still a long way off.

Carlos Sainz still has at least two seasons left at Ferrari, but the Spanish driver is already thinking about his future. However, for now, the focus is on ending this 2023 season in the best possible way with Ferrari, aiming to secure a podium finish and improve his position in the championship.