Charles Leclerc makes no secret of his admiration for teammate Carlos Sainz, who he says is attracting plenty of interest across the Formula 1 grid. The Spaniard’s victory in Melbourne (just two weeks after surgery) is an early reminder to the field of his calibre. Rivals already have the Ferrari driver on their shortlist, including Red Bull – as revealed by Christian Horner.
Heading into the 2024 season, there was plenty of speculation about the driver market. With Red Bull expected to maintain their dominance, several F1 news stories focused on this year’s potential for driver moment.
Evidently, Ferrari’s 1-2 in Australia is evidence that Red Bull won’t have everything go their way in 2024. Although the RB20 is still the favourite to maintain the F1 crown, Fred Vasseur and the technical staff at Maranello have other ideas. The development race will be crucial, which is why the Scuderia are working to bring forward some of their upgrades in time for Japan.
Whilst this is all positive for a more competitive Formula 1, the driver market (affectionately known as silly season) will still be very fluid. Thankfully, though, it looks set to complement a more unpredictable season in terms of on-track competition.
Returning to the topic of driver negotiations, someone who will have tremendous sway in these F1 talks is Carlos Sainz. Even before this year’s campaign started, his time and Ferrari and McLaren provided plenty of evidence of his capabilities. For teams with an open seat for the 2025 season, Sainz is undeniably a highly sought-after option.
Over the winter break, the 29-year-old has been regularly linked with Sauber. Although the Swiss-based team’s interest is legitimate, Sainz will undoubtedly aim higher than the team sitting at 9th in the standings.
As mentioned previously, Red Bull makes no secret that Sainz is on their shortlist for next season. Team Principal Christian Horner outlined that his team could look beyond their current driver pool to find Verstappen’s next teammate.
LECLERC: OTHER TEAMS “FOR SURE” TALKING WITH SAINZ
Aware of the interest surrounding his opposite number, Charles Leclerc discussed the interest of the Spaniard:
“I think everybody knows Carlos’ worth in the paddock. He’s one of the highest-rated drivers in the paddock
“He’s been extremely strong every time he was in a Formula 1 car. And he has showed it multiple times. So, I don’t think he’s underrated for that.
“I think everybody knows Carlos’ worth. And that’s why I’ve said many times that I’m not too worried about his future. Because I’m sure that many, many team principals are…
“He doesn’t say it, but for sure they are speaking with him! And I’m sure he will have many opportunities, and he’ll just have to make the best choice for his career.”
SAINZ NEGOTIATIONS TO FEATURE PROMINENTLY IN F1 NEWS
There are many interesting options for Sainz in 2025, including Red Bull, Mercedes and potentially Aston Martin. Both these teams, for the short and long term, are projects with great promise.
For the #55 driver, this year is a great opportunity to advertise his abilities.
As outlined by Charles Leclerc, it is no secret that Carlos Sainz is a driver with great speed. So, in this sense, the 29-year-old’s CV is already convincing in itself.
Still, narratives can change fast in Formula 1, so the Ferrari driver would do well to maintain his form in early F1 2024.
