Binotto will discuss F1 future with Sainz over winter after "great year"

Mattia Binotto plans to talk with Carlos Sainz Jr over the winter about his Ferrari future after a “great” first Formula 1 season with the team in 2021.

Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari

Sainz replaced Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari on a two-year deal for this season, and enjoyed his strongest F1 campaign to date, scoring four podiums en route to fifth place in the drivers’ championship.

Sainz managed to outscore Charles Leclerc in their first year as team-mates, helping Ferrari to secure third place in the constructors’ championship ahead of his former team McLaren.

The Spaniard capped off his season with a third place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He said after the race that he “couldn’t ask for more” to round out his first year with Ferrari.

Ferrari team principal Binotto was jokingly asked after the race if now was the best time to renew Sainz’s contract, despite it having a year still to run.

But he said they would chat about future plans over the winter when reviewing his season.

“I think Carlos did a great year,” Binotto said.

Autosport 2021 Top 50: #7 Carlos Sainz Jr

“When we signed a year ago, we said that winter time, so this is winter time, [is] the right moment to sit down and have a review of the season. That is something we will certainly do during the winter.

“There will be certainly a review altogether, and of the season itself, and we’ll start discussing what can be our future.”

Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari

Carlos Sainz Jr., Ferrari

Photo by: Ferrari

Binotto felt impressed by how Sainz had performed considering it was his first season with Ferrari, and repeated his belief that he formed the best line-up on the F1 grid alongside Leclerc.

Read Also:

“When we signed with Carlos, the objective was to have two good drivers that were good racers, consistent and capable of scoring points for the team,” Binotto said.

“I think it’s what we got this season. So I’m very proud of both of them. I think as I often said, we’ve got the best line-up in Formula 1, and I’m pretty happy with what Carlos did this season.

“Being his very first season with Ferrari, it was not straightforward and obvious.

"We signed with him because we said he is a good racer, consistent, always scoring good points. But I think he’s as well a good learner.

“During the season, he has improved, and I think that the end of the season is his best part of the entire season.”

shares
comments

Related video

The other Hamilton conqueror seeking career revival

Red Bull: Abu Dhabi F1 controversy won’t taint Verstappen title

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Alex Kalinauckas

Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023

How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip

How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Jake Boxall-Legge

How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip How Verstappen’s crushing Japanese GP win showed Singapore was a blip

Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out

Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
British GP
GP Racing

Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out Why the reality of F1 engineering debriefs isn't what Drive to Survive makes out

How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation

How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Japanese GP
GP Racing

How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation

How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again

How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Japanese GP
GP Racing

How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again

Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge

Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
GP Racing

Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge

Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius

Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Jonathan Noble

Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius

 The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP

The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP

Plus
Plus
Formula 1
Japanese GP
Alex Kalinauckas

The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP

Subscribe