Formula 1: Carlos Sainz Jr to replace Vettel with Ferrari
Thursday, May 14, 2020 @ 3:33 PM
CARLOS Sainz Junior is about to become only the third Spaniard ever to drive for Ferrari after Fernando Alonso and the Marquis of Portago, and is reported to be closing a deal with the Italian scuderia to replace outgoing Sebastian Vettel in 2021.
The latter, who burst onto the scene in 2015 and swept the board, netting four world championships on the trot with Red Bull before moving to Ferrari, but during his time on the team has not produced results and never been a real candidate for the top title.
Negotiations between Ferrari and Vettel over his contract for next year have recently broken down as neither party was willing to budge.
Vettel was reportedly facing a huge salary cut and would lose his 'star status' to team-mate Charles LeClerc, although he insists money was not the issue and that the main problem was 'no common interest in remaining contractually-bound'.
Carlos Sainz Senior, who won this year's Dakar Rally, said his son was 'happy where he was' with McLaren, but realised that if he was to progress in his career, he would have to belong to one of the élite teams and, when he was head-hunted, agreed to start talks.
With Ferrari, Sainz will be very much a small fish in a big pond, and it is clear from the start that he will be 'number two' driver to LeClerc and have to put aside any real ambitions for personal glory for a while.
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