Carlos Sainz's father has rejected claims that Ferrari treated the Spanish driver unfairly when replacing him with Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Despite delivering strong performances as Charles Leclerc's teammate, Sainz lost his seat to the seven-time world champion.
However, rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr. insists Ferrari handled the situation with respect.
"I wouldn't describe it as the Scuderia behaving badly," he told the El Cafelito de Josep Pedrerol podcast. "It's that the circumstances of the perfect storm arose.
"Ferrari was happy with Carlos, but the possibility appeared because Hamilton himself produced it," Sainz Sr. explained. "It was he who approached Ferrari.
"Perhaps the process could have been clearer, but then it would have been leaked, and Ferrari did not want that."
Sainz Sr. highlighted the respect Ferrari has shown for his son by gifting him his race-winning 2022 car and offering unique opportunities.
"They gave him a car," he said. "They invited me to drive in Fiorano with an F1 car. He had to do things very well and to leave with good feelings for all those things to happen."
Despite the respect from Ferrari, Sainz Sr. acknowledged that his son's talent is often undervalued.
"Because of his personality," he said, "and because he came after Fernando (Alonso) and so on, I think he has not been assigned the value and quality that he has.
"He also coincided with (Max) Verstappen, and that left him a bit in the shadows. Then he ended up driving for Ferrari, which is not easy. I think the best version of Carlos is yet to come.
"He is a driver who takes steps, and it seems that every year he brings out his best version. There are drivers who arrive very quickly, give their all, and then stagnate, but Carlos continues to improve every year."
Sainz Sr. also admitted the challenges his son faced as he prepared to leave Ferrari, particularly the lack of opportunities at top teams like Mercedes and Red Bull.
"It was difficult for him to get over the shock of having to leave Ferrari," he said. "Then it was difficult for him to digest that, due to the circumstances, Mercedes and Red Bull were not opening the door.
"Once all of that had passed and he decided to go to Williams, now I see him very excited and eager for the season to start."
However, Sainz Sr. acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead at Williams.
"It was a difficult year for them," he said. "I think Williams finished 16th and 18th in the last race and second to last in the constructors' table. But still, Carlos is very excited and eager for the season."
