Carlos Sainz targets new Ferrari contract "as soon as possible"

Carlos Sainz, Abu Dhabi — Photo: © LAT Images

Ferrari

Sainz targets new Ferrari contract "as soon as possible"

Sainz is currently set to be out of contract at the end of 2022

Sam Hall & Ian Parkes

Sunday 20 February 2022 16:00

Carlos Sainz has confirmed he is eager to confirm his Ferrari future "as soon as possible" with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

Sainz joined the Scuderia on a two-year deal from rival team McLaren ahead of the 2021 campaign.

After outscoring his highly-rated team-mate Charles Leclerc last year and finishing 'best of the rest' behind only the Mercedes and Red Bull drivers, the Spaniard is keen to put in place a new deal to remain at Maranello.

"I have to announce that there is nothing to announce," said Sainz at the launch of the F1-75.

"At the moment we are in the middle of discussions.

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"It has been pretty clear both Ferrari and myself, we are happy with the situation and we want to keep working together in the future and set ourselves to try and have it as soon as possible but at the moment, nothing is done yet."

Sainz 'still learning Ferrari' heading into 2022

F1 will race to a completely new set of technical regulations this year with a large focus on creating downforce through ground effect technology, a move that will drastically affect the way drivers can generate lap time.

Focusing more on his relationship with the team than on the handling of the car, when asked what lessons he could take from 2021 into the coming season, Sainz explained: "Pretty much everything really.

"When you are new to a team, especially a team like Ferrari, you have to adapt to a whole new environment, you have to be a part of such a big structure as Ferrari.

"Not only internally in the factory but also being part of such a big brand globally, around the world, being followed by so many Tifosi and people around the world.

"It is difficult to put into words but it is something that you have to learn as you do the races, as you do the year, and I am pretty sure that I am still going to be a bit of a learning process coming into 2022.

"But I enjoyed it a lot, I think I am happy, I am in a good moment in my career, I feel a really strong bond with Ferrari and I just want to keep improving as a driver and make sure that I keep delivering my best when it matters."