Carlos Sainz Sr., father of Carlos Sainz and two-time world rally champion, has commented on Ferrari’s decision to replace his son with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Sainz was left without a seat at Ferrari last year and later joined Williams. In 2025, the Spaniard outperformed Hamilton and achieved two podiums, while the Briton had none.

Carlos Sainz Sr. emphasized that neither he nor his son criticized Hamilton:

“It’s not our problem, it’s not Carlos’ problem. Ferrari was close to winning the constructors’ championship in 2024, but this year the team has faced difficulties. My advice, and Carlos agrees, is to focus on your work. The world is already too complex to worry about everyone. Let people draw their own conclusions,” he said.

At the same time, Sainz Sr. believes that his son can become a world champion:

“I have a lot of confidence in him and I want to believe that it is possible. I am his father and I have seen how talented he is. If he is in the right place at the right time, he can really achieve this. Everything has to match perfectly. He works and fights for it,” he added.

The rally champion also noted that success depends on the car and the team:

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball to know how teams are preparing for radical changes in F1. It all depends on the engine and the chassis. It would be good for Williams to produce a competitive car and fight for the podium. Now they can be at the bottom, middle or top of the table and under the new rules the stronger teams have more resources.”

Formula 1 pilots’ salaries have long been record-breaking, and the championship’s leading stars regularly appear on the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes.

The current F1 squad is one of the richest in the history of the series, which is directly linked to the sharp increase in the championship’s global popularity in recent years.

But large contracts account for only a fraction of total revenue. Advertising deals, bonuses, business ventures and investments have allowed individual pilots to amass fortunes that far exceed the earnings of most of their peers. According to Racing News 365, it was these Formula 1 drivers who managed to build the largest financial empires in the history of the championship, leaving others far behind.

The richest F1 drivers in history

1) Michael Schumacher – $790 million
2) Lewis Hamilton – $304 million
3) Fernando Alonso – $264 million
4) Kimi Raikkonen – $254 million
5) Niki Lauda – $203 million

Mercedes driver George Russell says he is ready to prove his ability to challenge for the Formula 1 championship and is not afraid to confront Max Verstappen directly.

The Briton had been driving for Mercedes for four seasons but joined the Brackley team just as it lost its leading position. During this time, Russell achieved five Grand Prix victories but had to watch Verstappen and Lando Norris win the titles.

On the eve of major regulatory changes in 2026, many experts see Mercedes as one of the favorites of the new technical cycle. Russell hopes this will be his chance to consistently compete at the top.

“I’m confident I can compete with the best. Max is the gold standard right now,” said Russell.

I would like to fight him head on. “This is the only pilot next to whom you can really test your level.”

After Lewis Hamilton moved to Ferrari, Russell established himself as the leader of Mercedes. The 27-year-old compares his situation to the career of Michael Schumacher, who won his first championship after working for Ferrari for five years.

“You either fight for the championship or you don’t. Nobody dreams of fighting for second place. I’m ready to take my chances and I understand that patience is required,” concluded Russell.