A tearful Carlos Sainz still not able to understand why Ferrari let

A tearful Carlos Sainz still not able to understand why Ferrari let him go for Lewis Hamilton……read more

Former F1 team principal Eddie Jordan revealed that Carlos Sainz was deeply emotional after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he said farewell to Ferrari. According to Jordan, Sainz was in tears, struggling to comprehend why Ferrari chose to replace him with Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season. Despite knowing about his departure from Ferrari all year, Sainz remained professional, helping the team compete for the constructors’ championship until the final race.

Sainz, who secured four wins during his career, completed his last race with Ferrari at the Abu Dhabi GP, where he finished second behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. The 30-year-old Spanish driver will be joining Williams on a multi-year contract starting in 2025. The decision to let Sainz go in favor of Hamilton, who will join Ferrari for the upcoming season, came as a surprise to many, including Sainz himself.

Eddie Jordan, speaking on the “Formula for Success” podcast, shared insights into Sainz’s emotional state. He described how both Carlos Sainz and his father, Carlos Sr., were visibly upset after the race in Abu Dhabi. Jordan, who has a close relationship with Sainz’s father, recounted their conversation in the Ferrari hospitality area, where both father and son were in tears. Jordan also expressed disbelief over the decision, questioning the rationale behind Ferrari’s move.

“I’m particularly close to his father, Carlos Sr., and when I spoke to him to say what a good job he’d done, the whole of Ferrari was upstairs in the units where they have hospitality. Carlos Sr. was in tears. Carlos himself was in tears, and he still doesn’t quite understand why he was let go,” Jordan explained. “To be honest, I don’t either.”

Sainz himself had previously discussed the emotional toll the decision had taken on him. In an interview on the “Beyond The Grid” podcast, he recalled how hurt he felt after Ferrari informed him during the winter break ahead of the 2024 season. Though he did not cry behind closed doors, Sainz admitted that the news affected him deeply.

He reflected on the 2024 season, where he secured two wins, one in Melbourne and another in Mexico, finishing fifth in the drivers’ standings with 290 points. He was narrowly edged out by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, trailing him by just two points in the final standings. Despite the disappointment of being let go, Sainz continued to give his best for Ferrari, aiming to help them challenge McLaren for the title right until the last race.

The decision to replace Sainz with Hamilton came as a shock to many in the F1 world, as the Spaniard had been a consistent performer for Ferrari. His professionalism and dedication were evident throughout the season, and his emotional farewell after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix highlighted the pain he felt over the abrupt end to his time with the team.

Carlos Sainz’s future now lies with Williams, where he will look to begin a new chapter in his F1 career. However, his departure from Ferrari remains a topic of discussion, with many questioning the decision to replace a driver who had given his all for the team.