Carlos Sainz's father and namesake believes his son has done enough to secure a seat with a top Formula 1 team, rather than Williams.
Sunday will mark the final grand prix for Sainz junior with Ferrari. The 30-year-old Spaniard will be replaced in 2025 by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose recent form has drawn sharp criticism.
"Lewis is no longer at the level that he is used to - not by a long shot," former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg said in Abu Dhabi.
"His teammate (George Russell) is ahead of him in almost every qualifying session and not by just a little bit, but significantly. In Brazil, he said he wanted to stop. Then in Qatar, he made all those mistakes.
"It could be that he will find his way back to his old greatness with a new car and a new team. But it could also be that it just continues like this and that would be really bad and horrible," Rosberg added.
For Sainz, his final qualifying outing for Ferrari on Saturday saw him narrowly miss out on pole position, finishing only behind the dominant McLarens.
"If I'm very honest with you, I have not been very emotional this weekend," Sainz said. "The level of focus is so high and there's so much at stake, with the opportunity to win and to fight for the constructors'.
"I'm pretty sure before the race or after the race, it will start to hit."
Sainz is set to join Williams on a long-term deal starting in 2025. Reports suggest the contract includes a clause that could allow him to move to a higher-tier team if an opportunity arises.
Carlos Sainz senior, the rallying legend, expressed disappointment over his son's next move during an interview with Cadena SER.
"Carlos has earned the right to be in a top team, and next year it won't be like that," the 62-year-old remarked. "The world of Formula 1 is so difficult. You never know what life has in store for you.
"But what you can never do is give up. You have to keep fighting and keep your hopes up, fighting like he has done this year."
