Carlos Sainz Says Lewis Hamilton Can Make Ferrari An Even Greater F1 Threat

Carlos Sainz, the driver ditched by Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton, believes his old team could now be even better placed to return to the summit of Formula One with the former world champion on board. Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes, with the 40-year-old set to make his debut for the Italian giants at next month's season-opening Australian Grand Prix as he goes in search of a record-breaking eighth drivers' world title.

Sainz made way for Hamilton's move, with the 30-year-old Spaniard now lining up for Williams instead in Melbourne on March 16 after spending three years driving alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

But Sainz, speaking at British team Williams's 2025 launch at Silverstone on Friday, said: "When I left, I did feel that both Ferrari and Charles were ready to fight for a world championship, and with Lewis joining that is only going to increase.

"I have never been team-mates with Lewis so I don't know what he is capable of doing. I have never seen his data. I have seen Charles's data and I know how good he is. 

"The only way you can evaluate a driver is when you are a team-mate and you see what they are capable of doing.

"But when I look at Lewis's results and his background, and what he has achieved, I can only say that there will be a very high chance that he is going to be competitive for Ferrari."

Hamilton is set to unveil his new Ferrari at the Formula One season launch at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday before heading to the team's Maranello headquarters the next day, where he is due to speak to the media for the first time as a Ferrari driver.

Williams finished a lowly ninth in the 2024 constructors standings but Sainz insists he can help revive the fortunes of the nine-time champions.