Carlos Sainz received the bad news in February that there will no longer be a place for him at Ferrari in 2025. The Spaniard has since played a key role in the driver market, partly thanks to a strong start to the season. The Madrilenian has already been linked with several teams, and also admits that he is in talks with several Ferrari competitors.
Ferrari still used substitute Oliver Bearman in Saudi Arabia, because Sainz himself was sidelined with an appendix infection, but in the other three races Sainz took a victory and twice a third place. This has put him in the spotlight of other teams. ‘I am talking to a number of teams, because that is also what I should do together with my management, now that I don’t have any work yet for next year. So we are talking to almost all the teams,” the Spaniard made clear to Sky Sports F1.
Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Audi would be the four teams with the best chances of Sainz’s signature. ‘The point is of course that we go into more detail and see which options are realistic, and that we look at which options are best for me and for my future. I can’t share anything about that for the time being.’ Sainz wants to strike while the iron is hot. “The only thing I can say is that this is of course the time to accelerate negotiations, and hopefully we can get clarity as soon as possible.”
Sainz wants to continue the good trend
In recent weeks, rumors have emerged about an ultimatum that Audi would have given to Sainz, and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff already suggested that a key player in the driver market would sign a contract in the coming weeks. However, Sainz makes it clear that he does not yet know what the future holds for him. ‘I have no idea where I will ride next season. It is true that we are talking to many teams.’
Sainz knows that he can only do one thing for the time being: keep performing. “I just have to stay focused on my job, prove myself, and show everyone that I can maximize and deliver with a fast car. The start of the season was strong,” says the 29-year-old after three podium finishes in three participations. ‘With this car I can shine more. Last year I achieved similar performances, but I couldn’t stand out.’
Ferrari is a lot more competitive with the SF-24, and the same applies to Sainz. ‘That car was much more difficult to drive, had more tire degradation, and you looked in your rear-view mirrors a lot during the races. This year I can focus more ahead and overtake, which makes you more noticeable. That helps in the negotiations, but I keep pushing. It also depends on what the other teams do, so let’s see what happens.’ Audi will try to strike as quickly as possible, while Sainz may need more patience for a possible chance at Red Bull.
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