Carlos Sainz said he’s focused on racing, despite the move by Ferrari to replace him at the end of the 2024 season with seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton.

“I’m fine, I’m calm, we’re working for the future but above all, for what that we have ahead of us,” Sainz told SkySports. “(It’s) a very important year, my last year with the team and I want to do the best I can. I’m training to prepare as best I can and give everything.”

Ferrari confirmed that Hamilton will be joining on a multi-year contract starting in 2025. Hamilton, whose 103 wins are the most in F1 history, has been with Mercedes since leaving McLaren in 2013.

With current Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc signing a contract extension in January, that left Sainz as the odd man out.

Sainz, a 29-year-old Spaniard, has two career wins among his 18 appearances on the podium. He has driven in 185 F1 races and finished seventh in the driver standings in 2023.

The addition of Hamilton to the Ferrari garage apparently wasn’t a shock to Sainz.

“No, it didn’t disappoint me. Experiencing Ferrari from the inside, I already knew several things and I prepared myself with the team in view of future changes,” he said.

“As I said, however, I don’t want to think about anything other than how to give my all this season for Ferrari.

“Knowing that it will be the last year with a team is not the most normal thing to start a new season but as soon as I put on my helmet in Bahrain and get on the track, you can be sure that I will only think about going as fast as possible.

“And if there is the chance to become World Champion, I will try to take it.”

The season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for March 1.

–Field Level Media