Daniel Ricciardo was McLaren’s first choice to replace Ferrari-bound Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Vettel was never in the frame, the Formula One (F1) team’s chief executive Zak Brown said yesterday.
He expects Vettel, who is leaving Ferrari at the end of this year, to retire.
“Obviously Seb’s an awesome driver and a four-time champion,” the American told Sky Sports television. “But I think we were pretty far down the path in the off-season, and knew we would either land with Daniel or Carlos.”
Photo: Reuters
Ferrari on Tuesday said that Vettel, who won all of his titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013, would be leaving after six years with them.
McLaren announced two days later that Australian Ricciardo was joining them from Renault for next year, with Sainz heading to Maranello on a two-year deal to partner Charles Leclerc.
Former world champions McLaren had tried to sign Ricciardo in 2018, when the seven-time race winner was at Red Bull mulling his options, and Brown said that they had “stayed close.”
Brown added that Vettel had limited options if he wanted to continue.
“It doesn’t look like there’s a Mercedes or Red Bull opportunity for him,” Brown said. “There’s not a McLaren opportunity for him, clearly not at Ferrari, so the next best is Renault — and the next question is does Seb want to go with a team that is probably not going to win in 2021?”
“It’s a great team and they too should be moving up the grid, but I think unless Seb wants to restart a journey with a team that’s back on a journey — then I think he’ll end up probably leaving the sport, unfortunately,” Brown added.
SAINZ AND FERRARI
Carlos Sainz could be a surprise package next year when he teams up with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, according to the Spaniard’s former F3 boss Trevor Carlin.
The Briton, who has had a string of F1 drivers, including Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, race for him on their way up, yesterday said that Sainz might even have the advantage.
“Ferrari, if they thought they were hiring a No. 2, might have underestimated Carlos,” he said. “I hope they haven’t done that. I know there’s this story going around that Red Bull have got a No. 1, Mercedes have got a No. 1, Ferrari have got a No. 1 — but I don’t see that with Carlos.”
“I think given the same kit and treatment and cars, he can run him close,” Carlin added. “I think Carlos is bloody good. Maybe Charles might edge him in qualifying, but when it comes to the race, I think Carlos will be all over him. I think he’s going to be fighting to earn his stripes there — he really is.”
Sainz, 25, was introduced on Thursday as Leclerc’s future teammate, replacing four-time world champion Vettel.
Leclerc, 22, won two races for Ferrari in his debut season at Maranello last year and outperformed Vettel, 32, on just about every reckoning.
The Monegasque has a contract to the end of 2024 and is expected to be the one leading Ferrari’s bid for a first title since 2008.
From experience and observation, Carlin said that Sainz might not see it that way.
The son of a double world rally champion and three-time Dakar winner, Sainz has always set himself high goals and had plenty to live up to.
“I think the pressure actually will be on Charles’ shoulders,” Carlin said. “When Carlos really steps up, he could be the surprise show there and make the tifosi [fans] very, very happy.”
Sainz raced for Carlin in the 2012 British F3 and Euro Series, finishing sixth and ninth overall in them respectively.
The Briton said that the youngster did not experience “the roll of the dice” back then.
The Spaniard was a Red Bull-backed driver at the time and went on to make his F1 debut with their Toro Rosso junior team before moving to Renault on loan and then to McLaren.
“When you go through Toro Rosso and that whole movement around, you don’t necessarily get the chance to develop fully,” said Carlin of a team that has brought on some stellar young talent, but also discarded plenty of others.
“To me, the driver we saw 12 months ago at McLaren, when he became teammates with Lando [Norris], that’s the Carlos I remembered when he drove for us back in F3,” Carlin said. “Far more relaxed, far more comfortable in himself and far more confident. He’s matured into the real deal. I was very, very happy for him.”
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