Sainz: I don't think Hamilton is better than me

Once announced, after the shock waves from 'Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025' news, it all made a great deal of sense to everyone in the F1 world and beyond. Ferrari shares soared and even Sainz understood the implications of the union.

Shortly after the February announcement 29-year-old Sainz said of the union between the sport's greatest team and the seven-time F1 World Champion: “I would have done the same in Hamilton's position."

Five months later, Sainz is still without an F1 drive beyond 2024. Inevitably, questions about his final season with Ferrari and his replacement persevere. Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, he was asked by GQ Spain: Is Lewis Hamilton better than you?

Sainz replied: "Honestly, I don't think so, obviously not. Likewise, if you ask the other 19 drivers that question, they will answer the same thing. I think I'm the best option for any Formula 1 team.

"If I didn't have this mentality I wouldn't be a Formula 1 driver and I wouldn't have the competitive soul that I have. The other drivers will answer you the same way," explained Sainz.

For many, Ferrari erred in signing Hamilton and with it sacrificing Sainz and keeping Leclerc. Carlos deserves better is the general consensus. After all, Sainz is no stranger to being the odd man out for F1 teams. Red Bull banked on Max Verstappen, McLaren opted for Lando Norris, and now Ferrari ditched him for Leclerc.

He recalled the latter episode of his storied F1 career: "The news and the announcement of my non-renewal and of Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari had given me a strange feeling at the beginning of the year. And then I started the season very well.

"Obviously, I wanted to prove a lot. We started with a good podium, then the appendicitis operation was a disaster but then came the victory. And from there the season continued quite well. At the moment, the car is not good enough to win a world championship. So you make peace with yourself.

"If in these years I had a car to win and I hadn't succeeded with it, then it would have been more difficult to accept," reckoned Sainz, who has 11 more GPs in the Red of Ferrari

As for his immediate future, Sainz revealed: "For now I have to take advantage of the opportunity of having a car this year that allows me to occasionally get on the podium. I take advantage of those opportunities I have to finish in the top three or win since I don't know if I'll have them next year."

What Sainz will drive in 2025 is still blurry, with Williams hot for his services to lead the team, ditto Sauber aka Audi, ditto Alpine or a swap to Mercedes. Or a return to Red Bull.