Carlos Sainz discusses his evolving perception of Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion was once an idol to the young Spaniard, but this has changed since Sainz’s entry into Formula 1. “He was someone I looked up to, but now he is my rival,” explains the Madrid-born driver.
Carlos Sainz was informed at the start of 2024 that he was entering his final season as a Ferrari driver. The Spaniard had to make way for Lewis Hamilton, and after much deliberation, he moved to the midfield team, Williams. Nevertheless, the seven-time world champion remains a role model for Sainz.
“If I weren’t racing in Formula 1, Lewis would be one of my idols,” the Williams driver reveals on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show. Sainz has been a fan of the British driver from a young age. “When I was ten years old, he first raced in Formula 1 and immediately became world champion in 2008. He was one of my idols and someone I looked up to. Now – ten, fifteen years later – he is one of my rivals.”
Podium Finish
Sainz achieved his first podium finish with Williams at the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and his first podium spot since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his last race for Ferrari. Meanwhile, Hamilton is still waiting for a podium finish in a main race – the Brit did stand on the podium in Ferrari red during the sprint races in China and Miami. However, Sainz does not compare himself to his successor at Scuderia. “What other drivers do is none of my business,” the Spaniard continues. “What was important to me was that I seized my first real chance at a podium with Williams with both hands.”
