Carlos Sainz’s career has gone from strength to strength ever since he made the move to F1 at the start of the 2015 season. The Spaniard finished 5th in his first season at Ferrari. He also secured four podiums. It was a remarkable achievement as he also finished ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc.

F1 journalist Lawrence Barretto revealed the Spaniard’s management also spoke with Ferrari’s rivals before agreeing to a new contract.

Ferrari wanted Carlos Sainz to extend

Carlos Sainz’s consistency and pace at McLaren caught the eye of the Prancing Horse. He finished 6th in the driver’s standings in 2020 and propelled McLaren to a third placed finish in the constructors’ championship. And the 27-year-old also started the 2021 season in a similar fashion with Ferrari. The Italian team finished P3 in the championship, while Sainz himself finished 5th ahead of Ferrari’s golden boy, Charles Leclerc.

With performances like that, Sainz naturally attracted interest. As per Barretto, the contract talks between Ferrari and Sainz started in the Christmas period after the 2021 season.

“Ferrari wanted to keep him – with boss Mattia Binotto particularly impressed with the way Sainz has gone about settling into the team and getting performance out of the car – so they instigated the discussion.”

“I understand Sainz’s management spoke to at least one major rival (you always take the call) but their priority was to stay at Ferrari,” reported Lawrence Barretto.

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According to Barretto, his last 5 races during the 2021 season convinced Ferrari to extend his contract. And the fact he beat Leclerc surprised the senior management as well.

Sainz’s team pushed for a two-year deal

Ferrari and Sainz himself saw his future with the Maranello-based team. However, the stumbling block according to reports was the length of the contract. Sainz’s team wanted two years while Ferrari was offering a one-year-deal with an option to extend.

Barretto reported, “The Sainz family wanted more than a one-year deal. His last two contracts have been multi-year – and that security has played a key role in helping the eight-time podium finisher focus on the job in hand, rather than risk getting distracted by contract talks.”

“The push was for another two-year arrangement, which would take him up until the end of 2024 -when Leclerc’s deal expires.”

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Ahead of the Imola GP, Sainz’s contract was announced, keeping the Spaniard at Ferrari until 2024. He also shares a good relationship with Leclerc, which is a bonus for the team. Ferrari’s driver lineup is one of the best on the grid and their start to the season shows it.

Although Sainz has suffered two DNF results, Ferrari is content with their decision to extend his contract, as per Barretto. His result in Imola is not ideal, but the Italian team will hope Sainz can play his part in achieving the championship after a long drought.