F1: Sainz to join Ferrari

(ANSA) - Rome, May 14 - McLaren driver Carlos Sainz Jr. is to replace Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, the Scuderia said Thursday.
    Spaniard Sainz, 25, has signed a deal for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, it said.
    "I'm very happy that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I'm excited for my future with the team," Sainz said.
    "I still have an important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I really look forward to go back racing with them this season".
    Four-time world champ Vettel said he was leaving earlier this week, by mutual consent.
    Mattia Binotto, Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal, said: "I'm pleased to announce that Carlos will join Scuderia Ferrari as from the 2021 championship. With five seasons already behind him, Carlos has proved to be very talented and has shown that he has the technical ability and the right attributes to make him an ideal fit with our family.
    "We've embarked on a new cycle with the aim of getting back to the top in Formula 1. It will be a long journey, not without its difficulties, especially given the current financial and regulatory situation, which is undergoing a sudden change and will require this challenge to be tackled in a different way to the recent past.
    "We believe that a driver pairing with the talent and personality of Charles and Carlos, the youngest in the past fifty years of the Scuderia, will be the best possible combination to help us reach the goals we have set ourselves".
    Sainz reiterated: "I am very happy that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I'm excited about my future with the team. I still have an important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I'm really looking forward to going racing again with them this season." Born in Madrid on 1st September 1994, Sainza already has plenty of Formula 1 experience, having taken part in 102 World Championship Grands Prix, over five seasons. In 2019, he finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship, his best ever result, in a year when he also made it to a podium position for the first time, finishing third in Brazil.