The dominoes continue to fall in place for Formula 1's drivers' market with Carlos Sainz' move to Ferrari now confirmed by the Scuderia.
The opportunity for Sainz to transfer to Maranello after a single season with McLaren emerged after Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel announced their split at the end of the 2020 season.
The 25-year-old Spaniard, who secured his first career podium last year in Brazil, moves on to his fourth team in Formula 1, having started his career with Toro Rosso in 2015 before moving to Renault in the latter part of 2017 and then to McLaren last year.
Sainz will have a tough opponent sitting on the other side of the Ferrari garage next year with two-time Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc.
"I’m pleased to announce that Carlos will join Scuderia Ferrari as from the 2021 championship," said Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto.
"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 was naturally ecstatic about the prospect of racing in red next season.
"I am very happy that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I'm excited about my future with the team," said the Spaniard.
"I still have an important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I’m really looking forward to going racing again with them this season."
I’m very happy that I will be driving for Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 and I'm excited for my future with the team.
I still have an important year ahead with McLaren Racing and I really look forward to go back racing with them this season. pic.twitter.com/UXkTzFzUgV
— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) May 14, 2020
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