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via Reuters

via Reuters

Ferrari is flying at the moment with their spectacular run in the 2022 season. The Prancing Horses need to give credit to their excellent drivers for this phenomenal run, especially Charles Leclerc, who won two out of the three races. But Leclerc’s dominance has raised doubts about his teammate Carlos Sainz.

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The Spaniard joined the Italian F1 team last season after a two-year stint with McLaren. Fans expected Sainz and Leclerc to be on the same level, but the Monegasque has been ahead of Sainz with his performance. So, fans now doubt if Sainz can even win races with Leclerc outperforming him. This doubt has also led to banters and debates between fans about whether Sainz is just a second driver for Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz and Ferrari are discussing a new contract

Sainz is enjoying his time in the Maranello base, but his contract would end by the end of the 2022 season. As of now, both parties are negotiating a new contract, but the terms differ at the moment.

Read More: “The Only Way Is Winning” – Carlos Sainz Handed Bleak Omen of Second-Driver Role at Ferrari F1

The 27-year-old Spaniard demands a two-year-long contract. Meanwhile, Ferrari is opting for a one-year extension with the option to extend it for another season depending on the performance. It would enable Ferrari to look into the driver’s market in 2024 if Sainz cannot impress. But for Sainz, staying in Ferrari gets harder as fans are already seeing him as just a second driver.

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via Reuters

Although a few months back, team principal Mattia Binotto expressed his joy at working with Sainz and wanted him to stay beyond 2022. He said, “We are both happy with the situation and want to continue working together.”

Sainz helped Ferrari win two out of the five podiums in the last three races. But the Spaniard couldn’t outperform his teammate and his DNF at Melbourne gave rise to the opinion of him being just a ‘seat warmer’ next to Leclerc. So, Sainz needs to pull up his socks and showcase to the Maranello base why he deserves the seat.

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The next race is in Imola, which is also the home race for Ferrari. So, all eyes would be on Sainz and Leclerc in that race. Do you think Carlos Sainz can beat his teammate in the Emilia Romagna GP?