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Sainz admits contract uncertainty affected performance: 'not ideal'
During his last Monza race with Ferrari, Sainz opened up about his emotions over being replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year and how the uncertainty over his future has affected him this season.
It was revealed at the start of the 2023 Formula 1 season that next year, Lewis Hamilton would make a shock move from Mercedes, where he has raced since 2013, to Ferrari, replacing current driver Carlos Sainz.
As the 2023 season and Sainz's time at Ferrari come to an end, the Spanish driver admits how the news of being replaced and having to find his own seat for the next season affected his mindset and performance on track. “What I’ve been through this year is not ideal to perform at your highest level as an athlete. I think every driver that wants to perform at its highest level wants to have their future sorted and not have to worry about that," is quoted by the New York Times sports magazine The Athletic.
Sainz gets honest about how uncertainty affected his performance
Sainz shares his belief that a driver's mental state affects them on track. “I do believe there’s lap time in the athlete when everything is a bit calmer.”
Despite having to leave the Italian team, Sainz does not feel any resentment towards their decision. “A seven-time world champion happened to want to come to Ferrari in the last years of his career, and I had to move aside and to obviously leave my space to Lewis. I have no hard feelings regarding that."
He would even consider a possible Ferrari return in the future and is looking to maintain his positive relationship with the team. “I have probably still five to 10 years of career in front of me. So why would I close the door to a potential comeback?”
Sainz will finish his last remaining eight races with Ferrari this season before heading to the UK-based Williams team next year.
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