Carlos Sainz shares how Ferrari negotiations were going before Lewis Hamilton bombshell

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Carlos Sainz is just 10 races away from his involuntary Ferrari departure. The Scuderia decided against renewing his contract when Lewis Hamilton became available.

Williams began negotiating with Sainz in 2023 as he faced an uncertain future at Maranello. Hamilton penned a Mercedes extension last year but only the first season was guaranteed – he was able to opt out of the second.

Had Hamilton decided to stay, then Ferrari would almost certainly have renewed the Spaniard. The team would consider him a successful signing after poaching him from McLaren in 2021.

In that time, Sainz has won three Grands Prix and bagged five pole positions. He’s also consistently challenged and often beaten Charles Leclerc, one of the fastest drivers on the F1 grid.

But ultimately, he couldn’t compete with seven-time world champion Hamilton. Together with current title holder Max Verstappen, he could unseat virtually every driver on the F1 grid.

After Ferrari announced Hamilton’s arrival, Sainz quickly saw his options whittled down to the bottom three teams in the constructors’ championship. He chose to join Williams, rejecting Audi and Alpine.

Carlos Sainz thought he was on course for Ferrari extension before ‘sudden’ Lewis Hamilton twist

Speaking on the F1 Show at the Dutch Grand Prix, Sainz reflected on his ill-fated negotiations with Ferrari. Talks were well underway and he was optimistic of an agreement.

However, the move for Hamilton was ‘sudden’. Ferrari would likely have been aware of his contract situation but they managed to keep their interest quiet.

Sainz was stunned and recognised that the decision had changed the course of his career. Instead of potentially competing for championships in the next couple of years, he’s now taking on a gradual rebuilding task at Williams.

“I was in the middle of negotiations with Ferrari,” Sainz told Rachel Brookes. “Everything seemed to be going in the right direction, and suddenly this news arrived to me.

“It was completely unexpected. It was a huge turnaround in the way that suddenly my career was going to pan out.”

When James Vowles says Carlos Sainz can leave Williams

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur says Sainz vowed to push until the very end when he broke the news. The Scuderia have consistently praised his handling of the situation.

Having won the Australian Grand Prix in March, Alex Albon thinks Sainz will have to wait until 2027 to add to his tally. It remains to be seen whether he stays patient.

James Vowles says Sainz can leave in 2026, under a clause in his contract, should he so desire. He’ll make a call based on the team’s performance in the first year of the new regulations.

Will a top team come knocking? Mercedes are set to build around George Russell and Kimi Antonelli – or Verstappen if he becomes available – while McLaren believe they have the best line-up in F1 with Lando Norris alongside Oscar Piastri.

Red Bull could be an option if Verstappen leaves, but Damon Hill thinks Sainz could return to Ferrari. Hamilton is in the final stages of his career, so it’s feasible that he may only stay for two or three years.