Ferrari were happy with Carlos Sainz as a team-mate to Charles Leclerc but handed the Spaniard's seat to Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time F1 champion became available

Carlos Sainz Sr has claimed Lewis Hamilton was the one who initiated first contact with Ferrari ahead of his blockbuster F1 switch. Last February Hamilton shocked the F1 world by announcing he would be leaving Mercedes after 12 years to complete a move to rivals Ferrari in 2025.

However, Sainz's father Carlos Sr has claimed that Hamilton took it upon himself to enquire about the possibility of joining Ferrari. He told El Cafelito: "I wouldn’t describe it as the Scuderia behaving badly. The circumstances of the perfect storm have arisen.