Sainz closes on new Ferrari deal

Carlos Sainz Jr looks set to extend his Formula 1 contract with Ferrari after team boss Mattia Binotto said they have “found an agreement”.

Following talks between Sainz and Ferrari over the winter, it appears that the Spaniard’s future in Maranello has been secured, with the team suggesting that a deal is done and that it just needs signing.

Asked after last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix about a new contract, Sainz said: “I think we are close.

Very close. Very, very close.

Extremely close. Nearly there.”

Binotto added: “I think we found an agreement. It’s only a matter to translate it into paper.”

Sainz has impressed since joining Ferrari at the start of the 2021 season, scoring five podium finishes, including his run to second place in Bahrain last weekend. The team indicated at the end of last season that it was planning to open talks over a new contract amid the moving driver market. Team-mate Charles Leclerc is locked in at Ferrari until the end of the 2024 season.