Carlos Sainz Reveals Shocking Moment When Ferrari Chose Hamilton as His Replacement

Carlos Sainz revealed shocking details about the career-changing phone call — when Ferrari informed him that Lewis Hamilton would take his position.

Speaking on the High Performance podcast, the Spanish driver described how his contract negotiations with Ferrari had stalled since October — despite the team’s continued assurances that contract extension was just a matter of time.

“I never felt suspicious and always thought they were just busy with something else. Every feedback I received said ‘we will definitely continue working together’,” Sainz revealed.

However, the situation changed dramatically last January — a phone call informed that Hamilton would replace him. The news left Sainz shocked and took him a week to process.

Despite facing this difficult situation, it triggered his best performance. Sainz managed to finish fifth in the 2024 drivers’ championship — before eventually joining Williams replacing Franco Colapinto.