Carlos Sainz has shared his feelings following the “shocking” announcement that Lewis Hamilton will be taking over his spot at Ferrari for the 2025 season, confessing he “wasn’t ready” for this turn of events.

Carlos Sainz has shared his feelings after the surprising news that Lewis Hamilton will be taking his place at Ferrari for the 2025 season, admitting he “wasn’t prepared” for this unexpected turn of events.

As Sainz was preparing to start his fourth season with Scuderia, Hamilton’s unexpected deal forced the Spaniard to juggle his on-track performance and negotiations with rival teams in search of a new seat.

READ MORE: “He’s demanding when necessary” – Sainz’s former race engineer describes what Williams can anticipate from him.

He set aside his disappointment and delivered one of his most impressive campaigns ever. After recovering from surgery for appendicitis, he won the Australian Grand Prix and achieved a pole position and victory double in Mexico.

On the Beyond The Grid podcast, Sainz shared that Ferrari’s decision to replace him caused him to “suffer” over the winter. However, he believes this experience ultimately transformed him into a “much better driver.”

“In my opinion, the start of the year challenged me like never before and life placed me in a very uncomfortable situation,” Sainz remarked.

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I was informed that I wouldn’t be staying with the team I was almost certain I’d continue with as we headed into winter. It came as a huge blow to my expectations, and it wasn’t a moment I relished at all.

I continued to train and prepare for the season, aiming to be ready to win races and seize a championship opportunity if it arose. I entered that year still energized, despite facing an uncomfortable situation and moment.

Explore more: Discovering the real Carlos Sainz – His life as a ‘smooth operator’, aspirations for work experience, and his father’s invaluable advice.

He went on to say, “I remember feeling very emotional on the podium at the Australian Grand Prix. My dad was there, along with my manager and girlfriend—everyone who has supported me all this time. I was also thinking about my mum.”

They all witnessed my struggles during the winter. By suffering, I don’t mean that I was crying in private; rather, I was genuinely hurt. The pain came from being blindsided—I hadn’t anticipated such news and found myself unprepared for it. It left me somewhat shocked for a time.

After my experience in Australia, I realized how fortunate I am to have supportive people around me who give me the inner strength to overcome tough moments. Looking back now, I’m almost grateful and proud that it happened because it made me a much better driver and athlete overall.

Sainz debuted with his new team, Williams, at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.

After discussions with various teams, Sainz has decided to join Williams for 2025 and beyond. He appeared in their colors for the first time during last week’s post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.

Despite the events at the beginning of the year, the four-time Grand Prix winner hasn’t dismissed the possibility of returning to Ferrari if circumstances become favorable in the future.

READ MORE: “It’s going to be amazing for me” – Leclerc discusses the impact of Hamilton joining Ferrari and shares moments when he felt animosity towards Sainz.

“Sure, why not? I don’t see a reason against it,” Sainz remarked. “However, I can’t imagine it occurring in the near future. But life is long—I’m 30 now and there are drivers who continue racing at 42 in F1. If I’m fortunate enough to stay in F1 that long, who’s to say Ferrari won’t require my services again over these next ten years?”

This doesn’t mean I want it to happen or that I’m looking forward to it in any way. My main focus is on helping Williams return to the front of the field, but it’s not something I dwell on too much.

To enjoy the complete Beyond The Grid episode and explore Sainz’s insights on various subjects, just press play on the audio player above or click here to listen through your favorite podcast platform.