Former F1 Driver Reveals Why Ferrari Should Pick Carlos Sainz instead of Daniel Ricciardo

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes Ferrari should consider Carlos Sainz ahead of Daniel Ricciardo for its vacant seat in 2021. Sebastian Vettel’s contract with Ferrari expires at the end of this season and the Scuderia is yet to announce its driver lineup for next year. According to the rumor mill, Ferrari is considering Ricciardo, Sainz, and Giovinazzi as potential replacements.

There’s a high possibility of Ferrari retaining Vettel, at least for now. As much as Seb needs Ferrari, Ferrari needs Seb. However, rumors are doing the rounds that contract talks aren’t going very smoothly. Allegedly, Vettel has rejected Ferrari’s initial contract, leaving the Italian team with some difficult choices.

Chandhok backs Sainz ahead of Daniel Ricciardo

According to many reports, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo are frontrunners for the second seat, should talks fail. While many would choose Ricciardo, given that’s he a race winner and has the experience of dealing with pressure, and driving for a top team, some would argue that Sainz deserves the seat more.

In the event that Ferrari release Vettel, they’ll be extra careful in signing a driver who puts the team first. To avoid another season marred by inter-team drama, Ferrari would probably choose someone who’ll take one for the team. Of the two, Ricciardo is unlikely to give way to Leclerc or play second fiddle. That isn’t to say Sainz is a pushover, but he’s a smart racer who can bide his time.

More importantly, Ricciardo had the opportunity to drive for a top team early on in his career. Sadly, the same cannot be said for Sainz, who’s more than ready to make the jump. Chandok feels Ferrari should hire Carlos for that particular reason.

Speaking at a Sky F1 Vodcast, Chandhok said:

“I think there’s a difference with Ricciardo and Sainz,”

“Danny Ric’s had his opportunity with a top team whereas Carlos hasn’t yet.

“I’d love to see Carlos have that opportunity. I think he’s been stellar at McLaren, he’s come alive and he’s turned a corner.

“If you asked me to bet on it I’d say they’d probably keep Seb for 2021 just because of everything that’s going on, and then I could see them going after Carlos for 2022.”

It’ll be interesting to see Ferrari’s next move as the silly season approaches the 2021 driver market.