Is Sainz Leaving Ferrari on a Sour Note?

When Formula 1 team Ferrari announced that Charles Leclerc’s contract would be extended, there was no mention of them extending teammate Carlos Sainz’s contract, which was intriguing, to say the least.

Some have said that their decision to replace him with Lewis Hamilton left a sour note. According to experts, when his contract does expire at the end of the current 2024 F1 season, he will most likely sign for rivals Audi.

It’s unclear as to why the decision was made or why contract extension negotiations hit a snag before it was announced that Hamilton would replace him.

Has Ferrari’s decision to replace Carlos Sainz left a sour note?

The only sour note it left for Sainz was that he said he felt uncomfortable not knowing where he would race in the 2025 F1 season, saying that it’s not a great feeling to know that your current team no longer requires his services.

An initial plan was in place at the end of 2023 to enter into negotiations, but nothing materialised. He was initially seeking a two-year extension, but that seems very unlikely.

His [Sainz] performances in recent seasons have been impressive, and the Leclerc-Sainz partnership was one of the best pairings in Formula 1.

Is it possible to bet on where Sainz might end up next?

A handful of fully licensed and regulated iGaming sites like comeon.com, which is known for having some of the industry’s most competitive odds, will have betting odds available soon for the upcoming 2025 F1 season, but it’s unlikely there will be any markets available for ‘which F1 team Sainz will race for next season.’

However, if odds do become available for this particular bet type (which F1 driver will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes), they would possibly look like this, starting with the odds-on favourite:

• Bet type: F1 driver to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Driver: Esteban Ocon (FRA). Team: Alpine Renault. Decimal odds: 2.5. Fractional odds: 6/4. American/moneyline odds: +150. Implied probability rate: 40.00%
• Bet type: F1 driver to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Driver: Max Verstappen (NED). Team: Red Bull. Decimal odds: 2.75. Fractional odds: 7/4. American/moneyline odds: +175. Implied probability rate: 36.40%
• Bet type: F1 driver to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Driver: Carlos Sainz (SPA). Team: Ferrari. Decimal odds: 3.5. Fractional odds: 5/2. American/moneyline odds: +250. Implied probability rate: 28.60%
• Bet type: F1 driver to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Driver: Alex Albon (THA). Team: Williams Mercedes. Decimal odds: 4.00. Fractional odds: 3/1. American/moneyline odds: +300. Implied probability rate: 25.00%

Anything can happen between now and the end of the 2024 F1 season, so we will have to wait and see where Carlos Sainz ends up. One thing that is for sure is that he will have plenty of options on the table.

Final thoughts

Although Sainz will no doubt race under a different banner next year, it will not diminish his career. In fact, it could help him progress even further and make him a better driver.

Finally, if you decide to place wagers on any upcoming F1 races, make sure that you stick to fully licensed and regulated Canadian sites controlled by reputable operators. These sites offer not only the best odds but also the best security and customer service.

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