MONTECARLO. Carlos Sainz is getting darker within the face. Two months in the past, after the Australian GP was profitable as a redundant, he was the image of pleasure: deserted by Ferrari to exchange Lewis Hamilton, he had the satisfaction of beating his team-mate Charles Leclerc once more (as in Singapore 2023 , taking one of many few alternatives provided by Max Verstappen . That victory put him within the highlight once more in 2025, a number one participant in what gave the impression to be an exploding driver market: Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin. However, that 2025 contract has but to materialize ( and gates) closed: though he’s being examined by Mercedes, Max Verstappen mustn’t (not less than subsequent yr) depart the world champion crew, nor his colleague Sergio Perez. Fernando Alonso ended up renewing with Aston Martin, whereas Mercedes appears to concentrate on the kid Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who’s 17, on the post-Hamilton profession, and on the recommendation of the seven-time world champion: “If it have been as much as me, I’d select him”, he stated in Imola.
Example of Singapore
And like Carlos Sainz, who would hope for an instantaneous clarification of his future, the choices of Sauber (quickly Audi) and Williams stay on the desk, whereas the latter turns into the favourite (the Swiss would really like a solution quickly) not less than wait. in 2026, when Sainz shall be 32 and should lastly be prepared for an additional prime crew, when most drivers’ contracts will expire once more. For now, we now have to consider the Monte Carlo GP. “Ferrari’s favourite? I favor to decrease expectations – stated Sainz -, however this doesn’t imply that we don’t intend to win.” As Charles Leclerc remembers once more, so much on this observe is determined by health. “This yr will not be our robust level, nor the low velocity – we analyze the Spanish -, however the whole lot will depend upon how our automotive adapts to the area the place we begin on par with the others”. Carlos’ victory, in Singapore final September, befell on the street: “I understand how necessary it’s to begin on the suitable foot on weekends like this – he concludes, I do know what it takes to win. So I’ll observe the identical philosophy.”
The solely little one in F1
Another win may reopen future alternatives, whereas at Mercedes folks proceed to speak about Antonelli. After that of Hamilton, comes a push from George Russell, who you’ll find as a associate subsequent yr: «I’d welcome him with open arms – remark quantity 63 -, Kimi is a tremendous driver and he’ll are available F1». The downside is that, the regulation prevents the beginning of kids and younger Italians will flip 18 on August twenty fifth, the date of the Dutch GP. By the best way, the one one underneath the age of 18 who has ever raced within the prime division (and was “accountable” for the change in laws) is Max Verstappen himself. Who provides good recommendation to Antonelli: «For me at the start in F1 – says the three-time world champion – the largest issue was to have the ability to end the Grand Prix. Wheels are additionally powerful for a rookie, however when there’s expertise you need to let issues go as they go and Kimi has loads of that. Making errors is necessary, having the ability to make them with out an excessive amount of stress is necessary, I used to be fortunate to begin with Toro Rosso. ” And given the place he has reached, we should imagine him.