Only a week ago, Carlos Sainz said he would make a decision “very soon” on his next F1 team. He told the media that deliberating on his F1 future was “taking space out of my head.” However, Sainz seems to have made a U-turn and is taking even more time to sign a contract. At this stage, the 29-year-old’s inability to make a commitment could start jeopardising his options.
Sainz has been described as the ‘cork in the bottle’ in the driver market. The three-time race winner’s next contract was expected to be the first domino and trigger a sequence of moves elsewhere.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been no shortage of options.
Sauber have been very publicly interested in the Spaniard’s services. The Swiss-based outfit hoped to put the Ferrari driver alongside Nico Hulkenberg, forming a very strong driver line-up for 2025 and 2026.
Elsewhere on the grid, Williams made a very public pitch for Sainz in Canada. Team principal James Vowles made no secret of his admiration for Sainz, making the case that his project was the best for the Spaniard moving forward.
However, the Spaniard’s radio silence is beginning to shift these overwhelmingly positive attitudes.
Teams look to other drivers as Sainz deliberates
Whilst Sainz is the most in-demand driver available, he is not the only free agent on the market.
Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon are among those looking to secure their future in Formula 1. Whilst yet to confirm their next destinations in F1, the consensus is that both drivers are accomplished enough to land a deal for 2025.
Williams and Sauber were seen as Sainz’s two realistic options. However, his hesitance to reach a deal with either team shows a lack of belief in these projects. In light of this, James Vowles and Andreas Seidl are looking at Bottas and Ocon.
Alpine only recently entered the race to sign Sainz for 2025. Due to their poor performance and general instability, they were not seen as serious contenders until last weekend. However, the French outfit is now firmly in the mix.
Following Briatore’s arrival, Sainz seems to be entertaining an offer from Alpine. Before then, it was a two-horse race between Williams and Sauber.
The Spaniard’s willingness to consider Alpine’s offer will not necessarily please the other teams who have spent months trying to get his signature.
James Vowles has spoken about wanting someone committed to the project at Grove. Meanwhile, Audi-owned Sauber are also looking for stability as they enter the new regulations as a manufacturer.
Therefore, Carlos Sainz’s indecision could start to alienate the teams who were so enthusiastically advertising themselves to him.
