In F1 2025, Lewis Hamilton is set to replace Carlos Sainz as a driver for Ferrari.
A Monaco-based magazine has been accused of disrespecting Carlos Sainz after already portraying Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari colours alongside Charles Leclerc.
In February, Hamilton sent shockwaves through the F1 world with the announcement of his departure from Mercedes, marking the end of his lengthy and triumphant partnership. He revealed his plans to join Ferrari on a multi-year agreement starting from F1 2025.
Carlos Sainz snubbed for Lewis Hamilton
The seven-time World Champion will replace Sainz, who despite claiming Ferrari’s last two F1 victories – at Singapore 2023 and Australia 2024 – remains without a seat for next season.
Both Hamilton and Sainz find themselves in an unprecedented situation for the F1 2024 season, as the timing of Hamilton’s Ferrari switch announcement means they will both remain with their current teams throughout the year, fully aware that their paths will diverge at the season’s end.
And for Monaco-based outlet The Monegasque, F1 2025 seemingly can’t come soon enough with Sainz excluded from the front cover of its April-June 2024 issue.
Er, where's Carlos Sainz?
Fans have criticized the front cover of a magazine based in Monaco, which showcases the Ferrari drivers for the following year, deeming it as ‘disrespectful’.
A reminder that Sainz has collected Ferrari's last two F1 wins…#F1 #MonacoGP #Ferrari pic.twitter.com/MxL1FqUMud
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) May 23, 2024
In the cartoonish illustration, a young Hamilton and Leclerc are depicted sitting on the track at the renowned Casino Square section of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit. They can be seen amusing themselves with a tiny Prancing Horse figurine and a scaled-down model of a Ferrari F1 car.
Meanwhile, Sainz is completely out of sight, evoking a furious response on social media due to the decision to exclude the Spaniard.
One fan expressed their discontent by stating, “The way this is being handled shows a lack of respect towards Carlos Sainz.”
Another person commented, “It’s surprising to see Carlos falling behind as he continues to drive for Ferrari.”
Another commentator chimed in, expressing their disbelief, stating, “Seriously, what’s going on here? Carlos Sainz is still a Ferrari driver, and Hamilton remains with Mercedes. This magazine cover is incredibly disrespectful towards them and their respective teams.”
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Sainz’s future in Formula 1 is still uncertain as he has been connected to top teams such as Mercedes, Red Bull, and Audi. It is rumored that Audi has presented a tempting three-year contract to the departing Ferrari driver over the past few months.
PlanetF1.com revealed on Wednesday that the prospect of a direct seat swap with Hamilton is off the table for now, with talks stalling between Sainz and Mercedes.
Sainz was eager to reach a deal with Mercedes promptly, but the team is inclined to delay finalizing their F1 2025 lineup. This is because Mercedes is closely monitoring Max Verstappen’s situation at Red Bull.
Verstappen’s Red Bull future is now uncertain due to the ongoing off-track controversy surrounding the team, despite his impressive record of winning five out of the seven races held in F1 2024 and having a contract until the end of the F1 2028 season.
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