Sainz reacts to Ferrari departure for the first time: 'I was prepared'

On February 1, news broke out that Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025. For Carlos Sainz, this means he will then lose his seat. For many, this transfer came as a big surprise, but not for Sainz.

It has been quiet in recent days from Sainz's camp. After Mercedes threw the press release out into the world that Hamilton would be leaving the team, the Spaniard himself came out with a statement. This statement was brief and did not elaborate on his thoughts. Later that evening, Ferrari only came out with the statement that Hamilton will join the team from 2025.

Unveiling his own kart, the CS55 Racing Kart, the 29-year-old, speaking to Sky Italy, responded to the news in detail for the first time. He is calm about it. "I am OK, I am calm, we are working for the future but above all for what lies ahead, a very important year, my last year with the team and I want to do the best I can. I am training to prepare myself to the maximum and give everything.''

Sainz says the transfer did not come as a big surprise to him. ''From the inside I knew and saw things before you all did, I was prepared'', he said. He is confident that great things will come his way in the future. "'But I only want to think about this season, to do my best for Ferrari in this championship. I am a driver who has become stronger and stronger every year, I have not taken steps backwards but only forwards in my career and I am continuing to grow. This year I will be 30 years old but I feel younger and more motivated than ever. I know my value as a driver and I know there will be good things in the future but this year I want to do my best with Ferrari.''

It is a strange situation to already know you have to leave the team next season, but Sainz remains motivated. "Knowing that it will be the last year with a team is not the most normal thing to start a new season, but as soon as I put on my helmet in Bahrain and take to the track, you can be sure that I will only think about going as fast as possible and if there is a chance to become world champion I will try to take it. It would be the closing of a circle that began in karts so many years ago.''