Carlos Sainz Jr was amazing in 2021 in his Ferrari debut season but his 2022 season hasn't taken off according to plan. Ferrari indeed has the car of the field and Charles Leclerc has put it in pole position twice and won from there twice. Carlos Sainz however has best managed P2 and P3 and in the last race, he didn't finish which has left him languishing in P3 for the driver's championship. But the fact he defeated Leclerc in 2021, many believed that would've ensured the Spaniard to get a long-term extension at the Scuderia. While both Sainz and Ferrari have said a contract extension is almost done and an announcement is around the corner, reports out of Germany claim that there could be some tension brewing as well.
Reportedly, Carlos Sainz Jr had been lobbying for a 2-year deal that would ensure he's at Maranello till the end of the 2024 season. Charles Leclerc is also contracted till the end of 2024 which would give the Spaniard parity. However, Ferrari wants to offer him a one-year extension with an optional extension of another year. And as Sainz hasn't gotten off to the greatest start this season and trails Leclerc by more than 30 points, he is in danger of being anointed the number 2 driver to protect a potential world championship run for the Monegasque, his negotiating position with Ferrari perhaps isn't the strongest.
Carlos Sainz Jr has been at the Ferrari team since early 2021
Ferrari also has a legion of drivers from its driver academy who are waiting in the wings and since it has lost its right to appoint a driver on the Alfa Romeo team, it perhaps needs more vacancies on the grid. It already has Mick Schumacher, the son of Michael Schumacher, and the 2020 F2 champion driving for Haas. Alfa Romeo dropped Antonio Giovinazzi but he is in the reserve driver role for the team. It also has Callum Illott and the likes of Robert Schwartzman waiting in the wings apart from other drivers.
So the bench is strong at Ferrari but for Sainz to demand a longer-term contract is also fair as he did just waltz into the team, provided it stability after the debacle with Sebastian Vettel, and also outscored Leclerc who till his arrival was the golden boy at the team. In the end, likely, a deal will be made as Mick Schumacher still hasn't clearly shown off the type of speed that Leclerc showed which enabled him to be fast-tracked to the Ferrari seat in 2019 when he replaced Kimi Raikkonen. Sainz and Leclerc have proven to work well and the Spaniard's presence on the team has also attracted sponsors like Santander.
