SUMMARY
- Carlos Sainz's Australian Grand Prix win raises doubts about Ferrari's decision to sign Lewis Hamilton for 2025.
- Former F1 driver Christian Danner criticizes Ferrari's quick move, suggesting Sainz's form challenges Hamilton's signing.
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has made a point at the Australian Grand Prix while raising a question regarding Lewis Hamilton. The Spaniard has thrown a wrench into Ferrari’s meticulously planned driver strategy for 2025. Sainz’s unexpected dominance has cast a shadow of doubt over the decision to replace him with the 7x champion at Prancing Horse in the upcoming season.
Not only did Sainz secure a commanding victory in Australia, but he also secured a podium finish in Bahrain, consistently demonstrating superior pace and prowess. Conversely, Hamilton’s underwhelming performances at Mercedes have sparked concerns about his diminishing power. The man who once dominated the sport now finds himself struggling to keep pace with his teammate, George Russell.
Cautionary advice for Ferrari regarding Lewis Hamilton
The recent unexpected turn of events has led former F1 driver Christian Danner to criticize Ferrari’s decision-making. Danner suggests that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur might have jumped the gun in signing Lewis Hamilton. Sainz’s current form sends a clear message to the red team that they might have locked in the wrong driver for the future.
It’s time to pose the awkward question…
Have Ferrari made a mistake in dropping Carlos Sainz for Lewis Hamilton in 2025?#F1 #Ferrari #LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/WwO7rGm4CC
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) March 30, 2024
Danner believes the perspective of the Spanish driver as he stated, “‘Firstly, you’ve signed the wrong driver for next year. Hamilton is lagging behind, I’m much better. Secondly, if you want Hamilton, you’ve kept the wrong one because I’m faster’” during his conversation with Motorsport-Magazine.com. He added, “Sainz goes at it with a commitment, a joy, and an aggressiveness that I really like!”
“It also requires a fervent attitude: ‘Now it’s me and nobody else’. You can see that not only in his eyes, but in every corner”, said Danner while praising Carlos Sainz. With reported interest from powerhouses like Mercedes and Red Bull, the Spaniard finds himself in a strong negotiating position. Ferrari must now carefully re-evaluate their driver strategy, weighing the established talent and upward trajectory of Sainz against the potential of a veteran.
Charles Leclerc left a warning for Hamilton ahead of 2025 collaboration
The Formula 1 driver market witnessed a seismic shift with Lewis Hamilton’s transfer announcement for the 2025 season. The British sensation will transition from the familiar silver of Mercedes to the iconic scarlet red of Ferrari. However, his championship aspirations will be met with a challenging teammate in the young and competitive Charles Leclerc.
🤝 | Leclerc Sees Future Collaboration With Hamilton As Opportunity: ‘It’s Going To Be Great’
👉 | But he also highlighted his relationship with Carlos Sainz pic.twitter.com/wX9rozy6GT
— Racing Infinity (@RacingInfinity1) March 29, 2024
While acknowledging Hamilton’s prior experience, Leclerc is determined to show off a little bit of his own talent. The Monegasque revealed, “Of course, I will learn from Lewis. It’s also an opportunity for me to show what I’m able to do, which I take as an exciting challenge. I think it’s going to be great. I knew [for] quite a few months that it was a possibility, that it was on the table.”
Leclerc also discussed his partnership with Sainz stating, “I’ve had a really amazing relationship with Carlos. We have had amazing years together, more difficult years also together as a team because the performance was not exactly where we wanted.” This internal competition between Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton aims to solidify the former’s stance as the team’s leading driver in the long term.
