Sainz got little attention after Ferrari contract: 'McLaren made sure of that'

After Ferrari announced that Sebastian Vettel would no longer drive for the team, it soon became clear that the empty seat would go to Carlos Sainz. According to the Spaniard, McLaren made sure there was not too much media attention.

Driving for Ferrari is a dream come true for most drivers and that certainly applies to Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard just didn't initially expect to actually drive for the team, even after interest was shown from Maranello. "You think they are talking to all the drivers. So I tried to be as relaxed about it as possible. I tried to keep my focus on the present," Sainz told Motorsport.com.

While contract negotiations can also normally take a long time, that was not the case for Sainz's switch to Ferrari. "At one point everything happened very quickly. But when you sign for Ferrari, you also know what's coming, all the media attention. It was in the middle of the lockdown and I knew there would be a lot of questions asked in Austria. I also don't think many people expected Carlos Sainz to become part of Ferrari one or two years ago. So it was big news very quickly," continued the Spaniard.

Focus on the current season

With a new and compact season ahead of you, you just don't want to be distracted by too many peripheral issues, especially if you are still driving for another team. According to Sainz, McLaren made sure he could get his mental rest quickly. "Together we made sure there were not too many stories, just focus on the present. I think it worked well."

"The relationship with McLaren has always been very open and relaxed. So I never really felt much pressure, that takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders," Sainz concludes. The latter will no doubt be different at the big Ferrari.