Sainz expects a different farewell: 'That will be emotional'

It is not uncommon for a departing driver and a team to create some distance along the way. The secrets for the next year are no longer shared and as the departure is imminent, the driver decreases in priority. This impression is generally given at Ferrari, for example, but not for every team. Both McLaren and Carlos Sainz seem to give everything, something that Sainz also agrees to some extent in a recent conversation.

Switch to Ferrari

The current season is now half over and because the races are pretty close together, the end of the season is coming soon. However, Sainz doesn't yet have time to worry about the upcoming change, as he is leaving for Ferrari at the end of this year to succeed Sebastian Vettel.

"No, it's too early for that at the moment," says Sainz when asked by Motorsport.com if it feels any different when he visits the McLaren factory in the UK. "We still have a lot of races to do so that feeling isn't there yet, but I'm sure it will be there at the last race. It will be emotional."

Leaving good friends behind

Sainz then drove for McLaren for two years and achieved great results there, including two podium finishes - to date. The relationship between him and his team also seems excellent and the Spaniard says: "I leave a lot of good friends with this team, that's a lot of good people with whom I've worked very well, and still do."

"I'm sure the last race will be emotional and the goodbye will be different from the last time I said goodbye to a team."

But Sainz doesn't want to think about that for too long because the focus is on the here and now. "We'll see, let's see what we can do together this year."