RED HOT Sainz backing man who took his seat

CARLOS SAINZ lost out at Ferrari when the Italian team decided to ditch him and lure Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes.

- by PHILIP DUNCAN

But the Spaniard, who is now at Williams, believes his replacement can win his eighth world title and hand the Prancing Horse their first crown since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

Hamilton, 40, is a month out from making his long-awaited debut for Ferrari in Melbourne on March 16.

Speaking at British team Williams' launch at Silverstone, Sainz (below) 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.