Sainz acknowledges that remaining with McLaren could have led to a title challenge.

      "If I had remained, we’d be competing for a World Championship."

      11 September 2025 - 10:54

      Carlos Sainz stated that if he had not left McLaren, he would currently be in the race for the Formula 1 world championship. The 31-year-old Spaniard drove for McLaren in 2019 and 2020 before transitioning to Ferrari, where he teamed up with Charles Leclerc until 2024. In an interview with Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Sainz acknowledged that his choice to depart McLaren had repercussions.

      "Those two solid years at McLaren were possibly the best of my career, where I maximized the performance of the car I had," he expressed. "If I had stayed, we’d be contending for a World Championship right now."

      Despite this, Sainz maintains that he does not regret taking Ferrari’s offer. "I wanted to demonstrate to myself and others that I deserved to be there, competing for podiums and wins," he added. Ferrari let him go at the end of 2024 in favor of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, and Sainz stated that what he truly regrets is that no other top team reached out to him.

      Instead, he joined Williams for 2025. At Monza last weekend, Sainz confessed: "I’ve never faced such a continuous period of poor performance and results before." Nevertheless, he emphasizes that he is content where he is. "I’m very happy at Williams, and I believe it’s a promising place for my future," Sainz said. "If we can bring Williams back to the top and achieve a podium or a victory someday, that would be what excites me most - it’s my life’s project."

      Sainz reflected on his journey since debuting with Toro Rosso in 2015, when he was a 20-year-old rookie alongside a young Max Verstappen. "I realized I might not make it - it was a harsh wake-up call. Accepting that I might not achieve my dream at 17 or 18 was very challenging," he reminisced. Competing against Verstappen - now a four-time world champion - was a significant experience for Sainz. "It really hardened my character, as racing against someone of such caliber, with the entire Red Bull team backing him, compelled me to bring out my best," he explained.

      He later joined Renault, which he admitted he didn’t enjoy, before being signed by McLaren. "It was the first place in Formula 1 where I genuinely felt valued, supported, and welcomed by everyone," Sainz remarked. "It boosted my confidence and allowed me to develop as a driver."