Ferrari veteran Gino Rosato expressed strong confidence that Carlos Sainz will return to the Italian team following the Spanish driver’s first podium for Williams in the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Sainz, who raced for Ferrari from 2017 to 2021, secured his place among the team’s notable alumni through his four years and four races with the Prancing Horses.
Despite this history, Ferrari parted ways with Sainz at the close of the 2024 season to make room for Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in 2025. Both drivers encountered difficulties adapting to their new teams this year, but Sainz’s clean and effective performance in Baku allowed him to clinch a podium on his debut with Williams, highlighting his resilience and skill.
“An eventful end to an eventful weekend in Baku,”
Carlos Sainz remarked on social media after the race, reflecting on the weekend’s challenges and successes. In response, Rosato posted in the comments section, showing enthusiasm for a Sainz-Ferrari reunion:
“The Ferrari future is written in the air !! The Sainz return !!”
Currently, Sainz is under contract with Williams through the end of 2026, adding complexity to any potential move back to Ferrari.
Carlos Sainz Comments on Securing His First Williams Podium Before Hamilton
Following his breakthrough podium with Williams, Sainz addressed comparisons to Lewis Hamilton, who has yet to score similarly at Ferrari. Speaking during the post-race press conference, the four-time Grand Prix winner emphasized that his focus remained on his own achievements rather than his competitor’s.
“What everyone else does is not my business, to be honest. What I care about is that the first opportunity that I had to score a podium with Williams, and the first opportunity Williams had to score a podium, we took it, we scored it, and there it is.”
He tempered expectations for further podium finishes this season, indicating that the Azerbaijan result might represent his best chance given Williams’ performance fluctuations.
“I think the podium is — unless something crazy happens — maybe our best chance. Probably Vegas will be our next best track to try and maybe put together a top five or a top six, which is what we sometimes can achieve when everything goes right.”
“But the rest, for example, in Qatar, I don’t think we will score points. That’s how much our performance swings. But then we will have the Austins, the Mexicos. We will be a pure midfield car where we can maybe get in some points and keep our championship going.”
Context of Sainz’s 2025 Season and Performance Challenges
Before the podium in Baku, Sainz scored 16 points over 16 races plus three Sprint events in the 2025 season. He struggled to consistently match teammate Alex Albon’s performance, demonstrating the challenges Williams faces in maintaining competitive pace.
The podium in Azerbaijan broke a difficult run and signaled potential for the team to capitalize in select future races, though Sainz himself underscored the uneven nature of their competitiveness across different Grand Prix venues this season.
Significance of Sainz’s Podium and Prospects for His Career
Sainz’s podium at Williams stands as a milestone moment, both for the driver and the team, after a period of adaptation and uncertainty following his departure from Ferrari. Rosato’s vocal support for Sainz’s return to Ferrari underscores the respect the driver continues to command within the Italian outfit’s legacy.
Given his existing contract with Williams, any potential move back to Ferrari would require negotiation and alignment of circumstances, but the public encouragement from a Ferrari legend highlights that the Spaniard’s future remains a subject of considerable interest within F1 circles.
Looking ahead, Sainz will aim to build on his recent success, seeking to maximize scoring opportunities while maintaining steady performances in a variable 2025 season. How this translates into contract developments or team strategies remains to be seen, but the situation continues to evoke hope and anticipation among fans and experts alike.
