Only online negotiations took place between Sainz and Ferrari
Carlos Sainz has revealed that the contract negotiations with Scuderia Ferrari were held in special circumstances as the two parties have never met in person while discussing about the mutual future.
After confirming the departure of Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari announced Carlos Sainz as the replacement of Sebastian Vettel. The Spaniard’s contract is set to begin in 2021 and will see him contest for the Scuderia for at least two seasons.
However, Sainz will still drive for McLaren this year when the 2020 season finally gets underway. The Spaniard joined the Woking-based team last year as the team-mate of rookie driver Lando Norris.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italy, Sainz labeled the circumstances of the contract negotiations as strange as he, his father and his manager discussed the details with Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto via impersonal channels.
“They have been very special weeks. But to make a negotiation without ever seeing each other is a strange thing. I was at home with my father and in constant contact with my agent and in the end we managed quite well.”
The former Formula Renault 3.5 champion said that while he is extremely motivated and excited about becoming the driver of Formula 1’s most successful race stable Ferrari, he wants to put maximum effort into the 2020 season in order to finish his McLaren career on a high note.
“Everyone’s thinking about 2021, but now there’s McLaren. I feel like going back to Woking and start working again. I thought that after my announcement someone might be disappointed and instead I received many messages of affection and I want to repay all this on the track.”
“I know that here in Spain they are already thinking about 2021 and to see me at the wheel of Ferrari fighting for podiums and victories. But now what I want to do is put the Ferrari in the drawer for the moment and think only of McLaren.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the official Formula 1 website, Sainz has revealed that hiss McLaren bosses congratulated him when he told them about his decision.
“Immediately they [said]: 'Carlos please let us know if this is a serious thing because we obviously cannot be left behind - if we are going to go into a market we need to know as soon as possible.”
"The reaction [was] very simple. They were happy for me. They congratulated me and they said: 'Look, Carlos, you deserve it and I'm sure you will do great there', and that confidence boost is always nice to hear from your bosses,” he concluded.
