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Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton said that there is no rift between them following the unexpected announcement earlier in February that the seven-time world champion will replace Sainz at Ferrari in 2025, leaving the Spaniard without a seat beyond the end of this year.
Hamilton is set to join the Scuderia Ferrari on a multi-year contract, joining Charles Leclerc, who recently extended his contract with the club. While this has forced Sainz to hunt for a position elsewhere, the 29-year-old still has complete respect for Hamilton and understands why the seven-time world champion chose to go. "From my side obviously no hard feelings, with anyone. I think this is how the sport works. Obviously, I have a lot of respect for Lewis, the success he's had and obviously the choice to join Ferrari. I would have done the same in his position," Sainz said ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix as quoted by Formula 1. "I think Ferrari's a great team and at some point towards the second half of your career - or at the end, I don't know where he's at right now, he only knows - but for sure it's a team you would like to be part of, so I fully understand that. And [with] someone like Fred [Vasseur] that he knows and he has a good relationship with and trusts, it's a no-brainer to go to Ferrari," he added. "From my side obviously, as I said, no hard feelings. I'm focusing on my future and where am I going to go next, and in the meantime [I will] keep doing the best I can for this team," Sainz stated. Hamilton, who was seated in the news conference beside Sainz, expressed his appreciation for the drivers' solid relationship. "I second what Carlos said in the sense that I think what's most important is that we have, I think, a really good relationship. I think that's something that all us drivers have actually improved on over these past couple of years. There's a huge amount of respect between us all and I have a huge amount of respect for Carlos. I don't feel like there's any animosity or anything like that," the Briton said. "I think he's done an amazing job. He's come a long way obviously from when he started within the sport to the output that he has now and the way he approaches things. He's grown to be a real strong voice within the driver line-up that we have and has really been contributing to decisions that we're making within the sport," Hamilton added. "He's clearly done a great job within his team, so it's not a personal thing, it's what happens in this racing world and I hope that nothing changes between us. I don't think that it will," Hamilton stated. Meanwhile, Sainz hasn't decided where he'll go next, but he intends to take his time. "I don't know where I'm going and I don't know what will be my best option. What I know is that I'm obviously going to maximise my last year in Ferrari. I really want to have a good last year in this incredible team and give my absolute best for everyone in Maranello," Sainz commented. "But regarding my future, the situation changed quite a lot over the winter and now I'm going to need to take my time to decide where I go. We're obviously going to speak to all the options available and see what the best medium to long-term project is for me and my career, and the best project that gives me a possibility to be a world champion. That in the end is my dream and the thing that I want to do as soon as possible," he added. (ANI)
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