25-year-old Carlos Sainz or 30-year-old Daniel Ricciardo? At Ferrari, they had kept the number of candidates as future teammates of Charles Leclerc from Monaco. It makes sense that the choice fell on Sainz, who is currently employed by McLaren. Rather than Ricciardo, the Madrid player guarantees that the squad will be calm again after the quarrels and trench warfare that have increased in the past season. The willingness to put one’s own interests back for the benefit of the team or to serve the leader of Leclerc, should be more pronounced with Sainz than with the Australian.
However, those responsible at Ferrari will be careful not to officially chisel the hierarchy among the two drivers in stone. Especially in the first phase of the World Cup, they will also grant Sainz, who has been contracted for two seasons, “free travel” and offer him the possibility of probation. The Spaniard demonstrated his talent in advance last season, which he finished sixth overall thanks to consistently strong performances behind his predecessor Vettel.
“He showed that he has the technical skills and the right qualities to fit our family perfectly,” said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto about Sainz. The Italian continued to say that a new cycle had started at Ferrari. With Leclerc and Sainz, the youngest driver duo at Ferrari in the past 50 years, the goals are best achieved.
Fourth employer in Formula 1
For Sainz, Ferrari will already be the fourth employer in Formula 1. The son of the two-time World Rally Champion of the same name made his debut in the service of Toro Rosso five years ago. After three seasons in the second team of the beverage manufacturer Red Bull, he switched to Renault and after only one year with the French to McLaren. The summer before last he had signed a contract for the British racing stable that lasted for several years.
McLaren again found what it was looking for at Sainz’s successor at Renault. Ricciardo, who was cut out for the Ferrari post by the Spaniard, signed a contract that was valid for several years and next year would be teammate of 20-year-old Englishman Lando Norris. «Daniel has proven himself as a race winner. His experience, commitment and energy will be a valuable addition to McLaren and our mission to return to the top of the field, ”said McLaren’s team principal Andreas Seidl. Vettel was also considered a candidate for the cockpit at McLaren.
Ricciardo has won seven Grand Prix so far, the last time in Monaco in 2018. He has been driving for Renault since last year, but has not yet achieved a triumph with the French and will leave after two years. “My next chapter hasn’t started yet, so let’s finish it off strongly,” Ricciardo tweeted.
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