Spanish driver Carlos Sainz will replace four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari next season, while Daniel Ricciardo has signed a “multi-year” deal with McLaren from 2021.
Sainz, 25, will
leave McLaren following the 2020 season to partner 22-year-old Charles Leclerc
at Ferrari, forming the team’s youngest pairing in the past 50 years.
“With five seasons
already behind him, Carlos has proved to be very talented and has shown that he
has the technical ability and the right attributes to make him an ideal fit
with our family,” Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said in a statement on
Thursday.
“We’ve embarked on
a new cycle with the aim of getting back to the top in Formula 1. It will be a
long journey, not without its difficulties,” he added, referring to the
additional challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We believe that a
driver pairing with the talent and personality of Charles and Carlos… will be
the best possible combination to help us reach the goals we have set ourselves.”
Sainz emerged in
pole position to succeed Vettel at Maranello after the German announced Tuesday
he was quitting Ferrari after talks over a new contract broke down.
Sainz, whose
father, also Carlos, is a two-time world rally champion, has previously driven
for Red Bull’s feeder team Toro Rosso and Renault before impressing with
McLaren last season.
He secured the once
all-conquering British team’s first podium place in almost six years in Brazil
last year.
Signing Sainz will
also end any lingering speculation about six-time champion Lewis Hamilton
leaving Mercedes for Ferrari.
“I am very happy
that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I’m excited about my
future with the team,” said Sainz.
“I still have an
important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I’m really looking forward to
going racing again with them this season.”
Domino effect –
Australian
Ricciardo will drive for McLaren next season when he takes over the seat left
vacant by Sainz.
Ricciardo, 30, will
line up alongside Britain’s Lando Norris, 20, in 2021 after he leaves Renault
at the end of this season.
“Daniel is a proven
race-winner and his experience, commitment and energy will be a valuable
addition to McLaren and our mission to return to the front of the field,” said
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl.
“With Daniel and
Lando as teammates, I believe we have two racers who will continue to excite
our fans and help the team grow.”
Ricciardo has won
seven races and recorded 29 podium finishes since his F1 debut with the HRT
team at the British Grand Prix in 2011.
He drove for Red
Bull’s junior team Toro Rosso in 2012 and 2013 before making the jump to the
flagship Red Bull team in 2014. He finished third in the drivers’ standings in
2014 and 2016.
However, he failed
to muster a single top-three finish in his first season at Renault.
After the first 10
races of the coronavirus-hit 2020 campaign were either cancelled or postponed,
Formula One hopes to open its season in Austria with back-to-back races on July
5 and 12.
F1 chief Chase
Carey last week insisted a 15-18 race season was still possible, but he admitted
that all scenarios are on the table “including the remote possibility of no
racing in 2020”.
