Sainz is left without a Formula 1 seat in 2025 following the surprising news that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari. This announcement has shocked the F1 community.
Racing with a team knowing it will be your last season is undoubtedly an uncomfortable experience, which is true for both Hamilton and Sainz. However, Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, emphasizes that their focus is on the year 2024.
“We are completely dedicated to 2024, as you can imagine,” he stated, as quoted by F1.com. “Regarding Lewis, it presents a tremendous opportunity for the team. We are confident that it will bring us significant progress for the future. It will be a challenge that everyone will embrace.”
“However, our priority is to remain focused on 2024. We do not want any distractions, which is why we made the announcement so early. It was crucial for us to maintain our concentration on 2024.”
“I have complete faith that Carlos will remain fully dedicated and committed until the very last lap and corner of the season,” Vasseur added. “I am certain that the entire team will be highly motivated and fully supportive of Carlos. He has done an exceptional job for us thus far.”
“Now, it is imperative for us to stay focused on 2024. We have a fantastic opportunity ahead of us. We have invested significant effort into this project, and I do not want any distractions,” the Frenchman emphasized.
When presented with the opportunity to sign a driver of Hamilton’s caliber for your team, it is not something to overlook. However, Sainz has proven himself as a reliable driver for Ferrari, and Vasseur admitted that it was a difficult decision to make.
“It was a challenging decision, one of the most difficult I’ve had to make, along with the one involving Toto Wolff. However, I firmly believe that he is an extremely professional driver who understands the long season ahead and the immense opportunity it presents.
“In this situation, he has the full support of the team. We had extensive discussions, and I will provide Carlos with my complete support. He is fully committed, and we are aware that we must work together to achieve our goals. We approach this in a professional manner,” Vasseur explained.
The Ferrari boss disagreed with the notion that it was unfair for Sainz, acknowledging the team’s consideration of the opportunity with Lewis. He stated, “Unfair… I’m not sure if that’s the right word. The team must always consider the opportunity with Lewis due to his extensive experience. It’s a significant opportunity for us, unrelated to Carlos.
“Carlos performed admirably last year, and I have no doubt he will continue to excel next year. He is a consummate professional, and we have a strong relationship. However, the situation is what it is, and our focus must be on the future,” he added.
Vasseur emphasized that 2024 is not another transition year for Ferrari. He stated, “2024 will not be a transition year. It holds great importance for us, and my attention is fully directed towards it. The key to preparation is doing a good job.
“We are dedicated to 2024, aiming to secure victories and build upon the progress made in 2023. Our focus will not waver towards 2025,” he concluded.
According to the Source grandprix247.com