Consider this: Sainz, a driver who was released by the biggest team in Formula 1, to be replaced by the most successful driver of the last twenty years – Lewis Hamilton – to join local talent Ferrari, Charles Leclerc. This leaves the Spaniard jobless at the end of the season.
In the first race of the year in Bahrain, Sainz expressed his gratitude to the Reds by overtaking Leclerc and securing a spot on the podium behind the dominant Red Bulls. A week later, in Jeddah, he had to undergo surgery to remove his appendix, which prevented him from racing, but not from being present in the Ferrari pit garage, where he witnessed the emergence of the newest F1 star, Oliver Bearman.
Two weeks later, with his abdomen bandaged where his appendix used to be, Sainz once again outperformed Leclerc in qualifying and the race, ending up winning for Ferrari. It was an incredible turn of events that could not have been planned!
It is highly unlikely that the currently unemployed Sainz will remain without a job for long, as his value is increasing and he certainly deserves a competitive car. However, the question remains: where will he find one for the 2025 season? Ferrari can definitely be ruled out.
There have been speculations about Sainz Junior leading the Audi project in F1. Andreas Seidl, who worked with Sainz at McLaren, is overseeing the transformation of Sauber into Audi. There seems to be mutual admiration and respect between them. However, even at first glance, the current state of the Sauber Kick Stake F1 team is a complete mess, despite the presence of a highly esteemed former executive from BMW, Porsche, and McLaren supposedly in charge. Why would a top driver like Sainz choose to go there?
On the other hand, replacing Sainz with Hamilton, who is on his way to Ferrari, would make perfect sense for Mercedes. He would be the ideal teammate to be compared to George Russell, who has outperformed his seven-time F1 world champion teammate and may be in decline.
Is Hamilton still performing at his absolute best? We will find out in 2025, when he competes against Leclerc. Is Russell as good as Sainz? It would be interesting to find out. However, is Mercedes, in its current state of poor performance with no signs of improvement, an attractive destination for a driver who wants to win races? The team, which was once the dominant force in F1, has lost its charm. Hamilton seems to have once again timed his exit perfectly, just as he did before McLaren’s decline years ago.
With Lance Stroll seemingly secured in one of the Aston Martin seats, it is hard to imagine Fernando Alonso being replaced. McLaren has already signed two young drivers for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, other F1 teams, including Sauber, are currently performing poorly.
Although I believe Sergio Perez is performing as well as any teammate could against Verstappen, I must admit that Sainz, at 29 years old, is a more promising prospect than the 34-year-old Mexican, both in terms of current performance and age.
If the Verstappens are foolish enough to leave the reigning F1 world champion team, as some reports suggest, they will be in a state of crisis, as Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo are not deserving of that opportunity. Sainz would be the perfect fit for them.
He also provides a solution for Christian Horner’s team: if Max stays, they will have the most formidable pair in the sport as teammates. If Max leaves, at least they will have Sainz.
Furthermore, it is worth remembering Helmut Marko’s respect and vision earlier this year: “Sainz is unquestionably a fantastic driver. He was almost at the same level as Max at Toro Rosso, but unfortunately had the misfortune of being Verstappen’s teammate.
“The relationship between the two was quite toxic. Given the team structure at the time, there was no possibility of keeping him with us, so he went to Renault before racing for McLaren and ending up at Ferrari.”
“In his first Formula 1 test at Silverstone,” Marko recalled. “He was a little faster than Sebastian Vettel in the fast corners, whose times were our benchmark at the time. He was almost at the same level as Verstappen, but just almost. When we had to choose between him and Max, it was clear who we had to choose,” Marko revealed.
Now, almost a decade later, Sainz and Verstappen are very different individuals. F1 has witnessed their growth from young talents to the best of their generation. One can imagine that maturity, experience, and common ground would create a very different dynamic compared to their teenage years at Toro Rosso. It might even work.
In conclusion, although I am not a fan of Ferrari, I deeply admire their rich history in motorsport. If I were a devoted Tifosi, I would be torn between my emotions and rationality.
My sentimental side says that Leclerc is a good choice to be Hamilton’s partner because he is incredibly fast, a genuinely kind person, developed within the FDA Maranello program, and the romance that comes with it. However, a persistent thought in my logical mind would lean towards Sainz.
That is why I believe that when Ferrari boss, Fred Vasseur, contemplates the decision, he may be considering asking the question.
© 2024
The exciting final of the football championship took place last night, leaving fans in ecstasy. With a match full of incredible plays, the home team managed to win 3-2 and secure the long-awaited title. The stadium was packed with supporters who cheered at every goal and did not leave until the final whistle.
The game was marked by a fierce competition. From the start, both teams showed a lot of grit and determination. In the first half, the visiting team opened the scoring with a beautiful shot from outside the box. But the home team did not give up and managed to equalize minutes later.
In the second half, the game became even more exciting. Both teams launched attacks and created several goal-scoring opportunities. It was then that the home team managed to turn the score around, leaving the fans ecstatic. But the joy was short-lived, as the visiting team equalized shortly after.
With only a few minutes left in the game, the home team scored the winning goal. With a rehearsed play, the striker received a perfect cross and sent the ball into the back of the net. The fans went crazy and celebrated the title victory.
The coach of the winning team praised the players’ performance and highlighted the importance of team unity. “It was a tough match, but our players showed a lot of grit and determination. I am very proud of them,” said the coach.
With this victory, the home team ends the season on a high note and enters the local football history books. The players were cheered on by the fans and received the well-deserved recognition for their effort throughout the championship.
Now, the fans are already starting to think about the next season and the expectations for the team’s future. With the conquest of this title, the team gains even more confidence and motivation to seek new victories. The fans are anxious to see the team in action again and continue supporting with all the passion for football.
