Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes Carlos Sainz’s win at the Australian Grand Prix shows “what human power can do” amid his impending Formula 1 exit from Ferrari.
Ferrari announced on the eve of the latest campaign that it had signed Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc in 2025, leaving Sainz without a drive for next season.
That bombshell arrived despite Sainz achieving the sole non-Red Bull success last term, with the Spaniard having now also made a sharp start to proceedings in 2024.
Sainz registered a podium in Bahrain but was sidelined from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis, which also cast doubt on his participation at Albert Park.
Despite admitting that he was not at optimum fitness, Sainz shone to secure a front-row berth and capitalised on Max Verstappen’s retirement to lead a Ferrari 1-2 finish.
While Mercedes endured a nightmare weekend in Melbourne, Wolff admitted he was pleased for Sainz and long-time friend and Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur.
“First of all, I’m happy for Ferrari. I’m happy for Fred. He deserves that,” Wolff commented.
“Last year we were flying together and on the flight Dubai to Melbourne in Emirates, he had a disc that jumped out and he couldn’t sit or sleep and he was standing in the aeroplane for 13 hours. And then one of his cars crashed out and the other one finished P4. And it looked disastrous. And he had the pressure of all of Italy and now he’s had a 1 and 2.
“And as much as I hate our situation [Mercedes suffered a double retirement], he deserves that. And Ferrari deserves that. And Italy deserves it.
“And Carlos deserves it. After not only the appendix, but also basically being told you’re not here anymore. You can see what human power can do when it needs to.”
Mercedes is assessing the choices available to replace the departing Hamilton, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso touted as options.
Sainz’s emergence as a regular race-winner has thrust him into the frame, but Wolff has reiterated the stance that the German marque will take its time with a decision.
Asked about the criteria when it comes to an ideal candidate, he said: “The ones that are available or that could be interesting for us, they all have arguments in favour of them.
“Be the very young ones, be it the very mature ones in their best years or Carlos. It’s a difficult choice because it’s not like there is a criteria for one and everything points to the other one.
“But I have to fit the criteria. So, I just want to do a step back and just monitor the situation. Because some of the guys you mentioned may sign for other teams.
“So just looking at it. I want to look at the data.”
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