McLaren or Red Bull? Sainz's Next Move Amidst Ferrari F1 Contract Rift
Dec.4 - Teammate Carlos Sainz is reportedly unhappy with the deal Ferrari is offering him for a new contract beyond 2024.
According to the authoritative Italian journalist Luigi Perna, the Maranello team is wooing Charles Leclerc for the future with a huge five-year contract and a salary doubled from 25 to 50 million euros per season until 2029 inclusive.
As for Sainz, however, Perna claims in La Gazzetta dello Sport that while the Spaniard wants at least a new two-year contract for 2025 and 2026, Ferrari is only offering him a single-season extension.
Admitting that the details still need to be ironed out, Perna writes: "Leclerc has in fact reached a long-term agreement to stay another five seasons at Maranello."
But the talks with Sainz are reportedly much more troubled, as Ferrari wants to leave the door open beyond 2025 to kick off the new era of regulations from 2026 with a fresh new talent - like McLaren's Lando Norris.
"McLaren could therefore be the team Sainz moves to in the future," Perna claims, "although a vacancy at Red Bull could also open up if Sergio Perez leaves."
Ferrari's main focus for now, of course, is on catching up with Red Bull as quickly as possible, although most pundits have hailed Frederic Vasseur's progress after the Frenchman's first season in charge at Maranello.
"We have taken a huge step forward," Vasseur is quoted as saying, "which presents us with a promising vision of the future.
"But that does not mean that we will be there at the beginning next year. I don't want to be too optimistic, because that was certainly our biggest problem this season as well.
"We just have to focus on ourselves without worrying about winning the championship until we actually do it."
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Yeah, Like NOR is going to bail from a rising star to burning meteorite. BS. The red team is lucky to have an excellent driver combo. The best part of the team.
Hmmm, lucky...the team won the most F1 titles and almost competed in every race since 1951...I rather lose in a Ferrari then in anything else
Absolutely correct, NP, but their business model has changed in the past decade. No longer selling cars to race they now race to sell cars.
Yeah, good oberservation RO! Enzo would not be pleased with it and would never have kept Leclerc and double his salary after the huge mistakes he made.
I think he would be banging on the door by Red Bull and McLaren to get Verstappen, Norris or Piastri in his cars.
Never say never generally, but while his situation isn't like Gasly's, Albon's, or Kvyat's, I doubt he could become a Red Bull Racing driver even if he wanted anymore, given he already hurt his chances in 2017 by his constant push to leave the B-team.
I'm also somewhat doubtful about a Mclaren return, but way too early for post-2024 speculations.
Why would anyone want to go with Ferrari? Sainz should be looking elsewhere given the chance. His problem, there is no one where to go. He is the more aggressive driver of the two, but poor strategy hinders both drivers. According to reports, Checo is good until the end of 2024. I doubt either of the McClaren drivers want to leave and go to Ferrari. Not a good place or time for Sainz.