Former Ferrari driver René Arnoux was disappointed when Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced, but was impressed by the attitude taken by Carlos Sainz, who is currently without a seat for the 2025 season and beyond. Arnoux sees that Ferrari has two very talented drivers, and the 2024 season is far from over.
Sainz will have to make way for Hamilton at the end of the 2024 season, who has already announced before the start of the current season that he will leave Mercedes. The news came rather harshly to the Madrilenian, who are now in discussions to get things done before 2025. He is reportedly in talks with Mercedes, Aston Martin, Sauber (Audi), but also Red Bull Racing. “I was disappointed when Hamilton made his announcement this winter because I always take the position of the drivers and I thought about how Carlos might feel,” Arnoux told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
According to the Frenchman, Sainz immediately took the right attitude and showed that he did not want to give up. “After all, he is a professional and has no choice: giving everything is the only way he can assert himself and quickly find a new place in a competitive team,” Arnoux continues. “This season started with ‘Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025’ and the hype surrounding it, but before that happens we have to get through 2024,” warns the former Ferrari driver. In Australia, Sainz showed that fighting mentality once again. The Spaniard won the race just two weeks after surgery for appendicitis.
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According to Arnoux, it is still a bit premature to say that that race has changed the hierarchy at Ferrari. “Well, Charles came first,” says the Frenchman. ‘He comes from the Ferrari Academy. But Carlos does everything well, he is determined, you can see that in him,” he continues. ‘We’re not even a quarter of the way through the season yet. They both ride at a very, very high level. In the current era of Formula 1, the starting grid is crucial, if Leclerc had been in front, Sainz would have struggled to keep up. So we’ll see, every race will be a different story.’ However, Arnoux is looking forward to a nice internal duel. ‘Yes, like with McLaren. I’d love to see more of it.’
Praise for Vasseur van Arnoux
The fact that Ferrari has started the season stronger than in 2023 is, in the Frenchman’s opinion, also due to compatriot and team boss Frédéric Vasseur. “In a short time he has made optimal use of the existing regulations,” says Arnoux. ‘He showed that he values his staff and that he can strengthen them. Slowly but surely he gains tenths on the track. Above all, I see him solving many of the problems he encountered,” Arnoux explains.
“If he continues like this, I think he can get more wins soon, and if he gets even more wins, I don’t see why he shouldn’t go for the championship.” In this way, Vasseur follows somewhat in the footsteps of Jean Todt, a former French team boss of Ferrari. Is it a tradition that the French solve Ferrari’s problems? ‘I don’t know if it’s right, but it’s a tradition I like. I have been very lucky in my career: I have never driven for an English team. Of course I’m joking,” Arnoux winks.
