Carlos Sainz has been warned not to “wait” in deciding which F1 entry to accept next season or risk upsetting many other teams. After being told before this season started that he would be replaced at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton , Sainz is currently out of the running for next season but still has a number of other options, including Stake/Audi, Williams and Alpine.
Mercedes are also said to be a potential option for Sainz in an indirect swap with Hamilton, although that appears to depend on whether the Silver Arrows take a risk and promote teenage star Andrea Kimi Antonelli from F2 or not.
The Spanish driver remains calm about his future and insists he will take as long as he wants, which 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve believes is a risky strategy that could backfire.
“He is probably still hoping for Mercedes, that Antonelli is not good enough so that position will still be vacant for a few more years,” Villeneuve shared with OLBG. “But when you play the waiting game, you may find yourself being the last one standing and that’s not a positive thing here. “At some point, you have to upset other teams that have made you great offers. He seemed certain to join Williams, and then something happened.
“When you get a good offer and delay it and delay it until a certain point, you’re going to make people angry and they won’t want him anymore. In the end, you sign the contract very late and you make it clear to that team that they are only your third choice. It’s also not the best thing to do.”
Sainz is a ‘cool cat’
Since the pre-season announcement that Hamilton would replace Sainz in the next campaign on a multi-year deal, the 29-year-old has been resolute in addressing his future.
The Spanish driver did not complain or speak ill of Ferrari, even though he knew he was about to be replaced, while Audi’s project had long been said to be Sainz’s destination, even before the news about Hamilton was announced. dad.
Williams then appeared to be the most likely destination after James Vowles showed interest before Alpine made a move to re-sign Sainz following his spell with the Enstone team in 2017-18. Villeneuve raced for Williams during its championship-winning 1997 season and believes Sainz’s qualities and ability to improve the team are a good fit for the Grove-based team. “He went to McLaren and the team started playing better,” Villeneuve said. “He left and things became stagnant and poor when [Daniel] Ricciardo got there.
“Then he went to Ferrari and they started improving. “He has a great work ethic and the way he works with the engineers, his feedback is great and it pays off. It has a lot of value. He’s quick and competitive and he seems to react well under pressure. “When he was eliminated by Ferrari, he didn’t react badly. “He reacts like a calm cat. That makes a big difference. He will be great for Williams, the team needs two drivers like that. They are on their way.”
