Sainz: Staying at McLaren could have meant title bid

Carlos Sainz believes that had he not left McLaren, he might now be fighting for the Formula 1 world championship.

The Spaniard, 31, drove for the Woking team in 2019 and 2020 before switching to Ferrari, where he spent four seasons alongside Charles Leclerc. In an interview with Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Sainz admitted the move changed the course of his career.

“Those two strong years at McLaren were perhaps the best of my career, where I got the most out of the car I had,” he said. “If I had stayed, we’d be fighting for a World Championship right now.” Sainz stressed that he does not regret making the jump to Maranello.

“I wanted to prove to myself and everyone that I’m worthy of being there, to fight for podiums and victories,” he explained.

But Ferrari ended his stint at the close of 2024 by hiring seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Sainz admitted that what stung most was the lack of interest from other front-running teams. Instead, he accepted a seat with Williams for 2025.

Speaking after Monza last weekend, he confessed: “I’ve never experienced such a consecutive streak of poor performance and poor results before.”

Still, Sainz says he is content with where he has landed. “I’m very happy at Williams and I think it’s a very good place for my future,” he said. “If we can get Williams back to the top and achieve a podium or a victory one day, that would be the thing I’d be most excited about, it’s my life project.”

Looking back, Sainz recalled the uncertainty that nearly ended his career before it began, when he debuted for Toro Rosso in 2015 as a 20-year-old alongside rookie teammate Max Verstappen.

“I realised I might not make it, it was a brutal wake-up call from life. At 17 or 18, the thought that I might not fulfil my dream was very difficult to accept,” he said.

Facing Verstappen, now a four-time world champion, toughened him up. “It really strengthened my character, because being up against someone with such quality and with the entire Red Bull team supporting him forced me to bring out the best in myself,” Sainz explained.

After an unfulfilling stint at Renault, he found a new home at McLaren. “It was the first place in Formula 1 where I truly felt loved, supported, and embraced by everyone,” he said. “It boosted my confidence and allowed me to grow as a driver.”