Carlos Sainz: Ferrari exit news was 'completely unexpected' amid Hamilton signing

The 29-year-old driver was in the midst of negotiating a new contract to secure his future with Ferrari beyond 2024 when he was informed that the seven-time World Champion, Hamilton, would be joining the Scuderia next year.

Sainz's teammate, Charles Leclerc, had already secured his place at Ferrari by signing a new contract in January, which will keep him with the team for "several seasons to come."

With his own contract set to expire at the end of 2024, Sainz was actively negotiating to remain a Ferrari driver. However, when it became apparent that Hamilton might be available after just one year into his two-year contract with Mercedes, Ferrari swiftly moved to sign him for the 2025 season, finalizing the deal on February 1.

This development sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 world, and Sainz himself was no exception. He described the news as a "huge turnaround," which came as a complete surprise during his ongoing negotiations with Ferrari.

"It was not nice how I found out and how I went through that process, because it was completely unexpected to me, as it probably was for many people," Sainz explained to Sky F1. "I was in the middle of negotiations with Ferrari, everything seemed to be going in the right direction, and suddenly this news arrived."

Sainz expressed his surprise at the sudden change in his career trajectory, noting that the unexpected decision disrupted his plans and forced him to reassess his future options. "It was a huge turnaround in the way that suddenly my career was going to plan out. Dealing with the decision, negotiating with teams, and evaluating what's best for my future took a lot of energy and made it difficult to focus at times."

Despite the initial shock, Sainz quickly became one of the most sought-after drivers for the 2025 season. His next move became the subject of much speculation before he ultimately decided to join Williams.

With intense speculation about his future, Sainz admitted that he was in talks with every team that had an available seat. He was determined to finalize his decision before the summer break to regain focus.

"For me, what was fundamental, or what was important, was to make the decision before the summer break because it's been such an intense first part of the season," he explained. "Everything that happened in January with the unexpected arrival of Lewis to Ferrari, then having to do a first half of the season with Ferrari, and at the same time, deciding my future and talking to so many teams. I said, 'Okay, I'm going to make the decision before the summer break, then disconnect, relax, and enjoy the second half of the season.'"