CARLOS Sainz Junior is about to become only the third Spaniard ever to drive for Ferrari after Fernando Alonso and the Marquis of Portago, and is reported to be closing a deal with the Italian scuderia to replace outgoing Sebastian Vettel in 2021.
The latter, who burst onto the scene in 2015 and swept the board, netting four world championships on the trot with Red Bull before moving to Ferrari, but during his time on the team has not produced results and never been a real candidate for the top title.
Negotiations between Ferrari and Vettel over his contract for next year have recently broken down as neither party was willing to budge.
Vettel was reportedly facing a huge salary cut and would lose his 'star status' to team-mate Charles LeClerc, although he insists money was not the issue and that the main problem was 'no common interest in remaining contractually-bound'.
Carlos Sainz Senior, who won this year's Dakar Rally, said his son was 'happy where he was' with McLaren, but realised that if he was to progress in his career, he would have to belong to one of the élite teams and, when he was head-hunted, agreed to start talks.
With Ferrari, Sainz will be very much a small fish in a big pond, and it is clear from the start that he will be 'number two' driver to LeClerc and have to put aside any real ambitions for personal glory for a while.
Outside of the 'big four' – Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and Rénault – Sainz has achieved the best results to date and was immediately cited as a possible when it was suspected Vettel would not be renewing with the scuderia for 2021.
Twice-world champion Fernando Alonso, who retired from Formula 1 last year after a string of disappointing results with Ferrari and then McLaren, was also rumoured to be a candidate, but as yet, there is no real suggestion the Asturias-born legend is likely to return to the sharp end of motorsport.
