Sainz "wouldn't like to start" the 2024 season without new F1 deal

The contracts of both Sainz and his team-mate Charles Leclerc are expiring at the end of 2024, with both drivers potentially becoming key players in the 2025 silly season.

But with Leclerc expecting to sign a fresh long-term deal at Ferrari soon, Sainz is also hoping to agree to new terms at Maranello this winter so he can start next year without any future talk distractions.

"My goal is to start 2024 knowing where I'm going to race in 2025," Sainz said at a sponsor event in Madrid. "I wouldn't like to start the season without knowing my next destination."

"My priority is to stay at Ferrari for many more years. I'm very happy, both parties are very happy and the objective is to continue, but we have to agree and we have these three months until the next race to reach that agreement."

Sainz says he is "convinced" he will agree to new terms with Ferrari after feeling valued by incoming team boss Fred Vasseur, and hopes that will be reflected in a multi-year contract.

"Obviously I want to renew and I'd like to renew for more than one year, not just two," the 29-year-old Spaniard said. "You know my intentions and honestly I feel perfectly valued by Fred and by the whole Ferrari family in general, I feel loved.

"Therefore, I will renew if I feel that way and I feel that I am valued. That as a driver that is the main priority. I am convinced that if we both want to, we will reach an agreement on a duration that I am happy with."

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Pole man Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, gives a thumbs up

Speaking at last week's Christmas lunch at Maranello, Vasseur said he was comfortable with the contract situation of both his drivers, but that the frantic end to this year's season meant there was little time to advance talks.

"It's quite comfortable, we have still a lot of weeks and months in front of us," Vasseur said when asked about his driver situation.

"I told [the press] that I would try to take a decision before the end of the year. I have to admit that the last part of the season was a big chaos for everybody. I think that it was very demanding.

"We had meetings and we started the discussions, but we are late compared to the initial plan. But it's not an issue at all. We are much in advance compared to Mercedes [announcing new deals for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in late August].

"We are easy on this and will take the decision soon."

At the Singapore Grand Prix Sainz took Ferrari's only win in a 2023 season dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, finishing seventh in the drivers' championship six points behind Leclerc.