Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore has addressed the trend in Formula 1 where the best teams are opting for rookie drivers over proven top talent such as Carlos Sainz, who ends his journey with Ferrari this year to join Williams in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton's bombshell announcement about his move to Ferrari next year meant Sainz had to depart from the team he joined in 2021. As seen after the Abu Dhabi finale, parting ways with Ferrari was an emotional moment for Sainz, but the search for a team to race with next year proved to be a lengthy process.
The Spaniard was reported to be in talks with Mercedes, Alpine, Sauber, Williams, and even Red Bull, but eventually, his signing was announced with the Grove outfit as the sport headed into the summer break this season. James Vowles' vision for the team, and his long-term strategy to elevate Williams to a position where it could compete with the top teams, convinced the 30-year-old driver.
With six rookie drivers joining the premier class next year with proper full-season racing contracts, namely Oliver Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Jack Doohan, Liam Lawson, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Isack Hadjar, Briatore revealed a trend where F1 teams are interested in investing in young talent more than seasoned F1 drivers such as Sainz, which explains why Red Bull and Mercedes didn't sign him for the upcoming seasons. The Alpine executive said:
"It is now time for a generation change.
"Sainz is a very good driver. But when he was on the market, none of the top teams took him on.
"They prefer to focus on young drivers. Toto Wolff on [Andrea Kimi] Antonelli, Christian Horner on [Liam] Lawson.
"Young drivers are hungrier than someone who has a wife and two children and 30 or 40 million in the bank.
"Even Enzo Ferrari said that drivers slow down when they have children."
Briatore believes McLaren led the change by signing Oscar Piastri for the 2023 season, and Bearman's debut run this year in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this year, where he secured the seventh spot, made the teams' belief stronger that rookie drivers are more 'hungry' to prove themselves and win races. He added:
"I think the rise of Piastri has made people think.
"Bearman jumps into a Ferrari overnight and drives a great race.
"The young drivers are much better trained. And the competitive pressure is higher. In Formula 2, you're in first place today and 14th tomorrow. Hamilton or [Nico] Rosberg used to win 70 per cent of all races.
"When [Michael] Schumacher came to us [at Benetton], he still lacked experience. We first sent Fernando [Alonso] to Minardi. [Max] Verstappen didn't even have a driving licence when he started at Toro Rosso."
Sainz was also in talks with Alpine, but somehow, a deal didn't go through. Briatore revealed that he wasn't interested in signing Sainz if he wasn't willing to commit himself to a long-term deal. He said:
"I spoke to Sainz. He was interesting for us, but only for four years.
"It makes no sense to take a driver like Carlos for one or two years.
"Either he believes in our programme or he doesn't.
"I don't need a driver who costs me a lot of money and is looking to go to another team when the opportunity arises."