But speaking at the British team’s launch at Silverstone, Sainz, 30, who spent three years alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, said: “When I left, I did feel that both Ferrari and Charles were ready to fight for a world championship, and with Lewis joining that is only going to increase.
Despite Hamilton’s transfer breaking before the start of last season, Sainz enjoyed a strong final campaign in his last year in red, and will team up with Alex Albon at Williams for the new 24-round season.
Hamilton will take the wraps off his new Ferrari at F1’s season launch at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday before heading to Maranello a day later, where he is due to address the media for the first time as a Ferrari driver.
Carlos Sainz, the driver moved aside for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, believes his old team are on the cusp of winning the world championship and has backed his replacement to compete for a record eighth title.
Sainz was the fall-guy for Hamilton’s transfer – widely perceived to be among the biggest in Formula One history – and will instead line up for Williams when the season gets under way in Melbourne on March 16.
