25/04/2023
NEWS STORY
Carlos Sainz has hit out at the media following claims that his joining Audi when it joins the grid in 2026.
Not for the first time this week, the media finds itself in the firing line, as days after it was revealed that a magazine is to be sued by Michael Schumacher's family over a fake AI 'interview', Carlos Sainz has rubbished claims that he is joining Audi.
Swiss publication Blick claims that the Spaniard, now in his third season with Ferrari, is top of Andreas Seidl's 'wish list'.
Yet to even test its engine - which is scheduled to happen later this year - it is claimed that the German manufacturer is also targeting Mick Schumacher.
"My intention is to stay at Ferrari for many years," said Sainz at a sponsor event. "I do not understand how you can talk about what could happen in 2026 when I still don’t have a contract for 2025.
"It angers me when invented and uncorroborated rumours like this come out," he added.
The claim comes at a time sections of the media claim that Charles Leclerc is looking elsewhere following a poor start to the season, and others reports that Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are both considering a move to Maranello.
Asked about the current situation at Ferrari, the team struggling with a car that has remarkable single-lap pace in qualifying but eats through its tyres come Sunday, Sainz said: "All of us at Ferrari expected a lot more after fighting for pole positions and victories last season. I think we went into every race with that intention.
"We have been surprised by how fast Red Bull is and how much other teams like Aston Martin have improved," he admitted. "It is true that with Red Bull’s lead at the moment, if we want to be in the fight for the win, maybe at some races something could happen to the Red Bulls and Aston Martin, and we could sneak into the lead.
"But at the moment we’re going to need their help and we’ll have to focus on what we have. If we had not had the penalty in Australia, we’d have another 12 points by now that are gone, but it is what it is."