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McLaren already has a new rider to replace Fernando Alonso next season. He is Carlos Sainz Jr.
Alonso decided to leave the Formula 1 race after his contract with McLaren expired at the end of the season. As a result, McLaren must find a new partner for Stoffel Vandoorne in the 2019 season.
It didn't take long for McLaren to find a replacement for Alonso. Two days after the announcement of Alonso's resignation, McLaren immediately appointed the Renault rider, Carlos Sainz Jr., as his successor.
We are very happy to have Sainz as our driver, "said CEO Mclaren Zak Brown as quoted by Autosport.
"We have been watching it for a long time and assess it as one of the talented talents from the generation of young riders who are now rising in Formula 1," he continued.
Sainz was contracted with a long-term duration while ending his future speculations. Because Sainz is just a loan driver from Red Bull Racing at Renault at this time.
Daniel Ricciardo's decision to leave Red Bull to join Renault next season then made Sainz at the crossroads. Because Red Bull reportedly also considered Pierre Gasly, driver Toro Rosso, as a substitute for Ricciardo.
However, Sainz finally quickly made a decision to join McLaren so Gasly would become Max Verstappen's partner next season at Red Bull.
"I am happy to be able to announce that I will be a McLaren driver since the 2019 season," said Sainz.
"I have been waiting for this for a long time and I am very enthusiastic to look forward to a new chapter in my career," said the Spanish man.
Sainz, 23, has been racing 72 times since his debut in F1 in 2015 with Toro Rosso. Unfortunately the Renault-trained driver has never been on the podium with the fourth place in the Singapore GP 2017 as his best achievement.