Carlos Sainz has confessed that he's "a little down" as he begins to fully grasp the implications of his looming exit from Ferrari.
The 29-year-old Spanish driver, who has been the only one to beat a Red Bull in the last two seasons, will see his spot at Maranello taken over by Lewis Hamilton starting in 2025.
During a weekend visit to the MotoGP race at Jerez, Sainz shared with La Gazzetta dello Sport's Sportweek, "I have mixed feelings. I'm starting to see the growth of the (Ferrari) project now. The car is better and I have confidence driving it. That makes me happy for this year, but sad because we won't continue the journey together. But that's life. It wasn't my decision, but maybe there will be better things to come."
He described the recent months as "a rollercoaster." "I'm up at the moment from a sporting point of view, but a little down because I wanted to stay at Ferrari," he further explained.
It is believed that Sainz has been presented with a one-year contract offer from Mercedes for 2025, though he seems more inclined towards a longer stint with the Audi-backed Sauber team. "I have to see all the offers," Sainz stated. "In my head I haven't decided where to go yet."
Fortunately, Sainz sees several paths open to stay in Formula 1. "With each passing season I feel like a better driver," he mentioned. "I've always wanted to be a good name to occupy the most important seats in Formula 1 and frankly I hope it goes that way for many more years. I smile when thinking about the future even if what happens doesn't depend solely on me. All options are open, but it takes time and it won't affect the way I race anyway."
