Ferrari ‘find agreement’ with Sainz over new deal

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said finalising a new deal for Carlos Sainz is only a matter of putting it in writing, as they believe they have come to an agreement for him to continue with the team.

Sainz’s current Ferrari deal is due to expire at the end of 2022, but has impressed alongside Charles Leclerc in his time with the Scuderia so far – out-scoring his team-mate in 2021 and securing fifth in the Drivers’ Championship after a remarkably consistent campaign in his first season at Maranello.

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He finished second behind Leclerc in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at the weekend, topping off a near-perfect weekend for Ferrari as Formula 1’s new era got underway.

Such has been the quality of his performances, Ferrari have been keen to secure Sainz’s services beyond the end of the year – and an announcement may not be far away.

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“I think we found an agreement,” Binotto said on Sky F1 on Sunday. “It’s only a matter to translate it into paper.”

Sainz himself backed up the view of his team boss, making a new contract sound as though it’s only a matter of time.

“I think we are close,” he added. “Very close. Very, very close. Very close. Extremely close. Nearly there.”

Sainz and Leclerc are well aware that they may end up fighting against each other for this year’s World Championship, such is the early pace of the F1-75.

One of the key issues Ferrari seems to have mostly eradicated