Carlos Sainz reviews his options for 2025
The Ferrari driver spoke at a press conference about his options for next season.
Carlos Sainz insisted that all the best options are still open for his future in Formula 1.
Sainz’s career direction is the subject of speculation in the F1 paddock, since he is forced to leave Ferrari in favor of Lewis Hamilton. He is also the only driver, apart from Red Bull, to have won races since 2022.
The driver market continues to be in turmoil at the beginning of 2024, with the majority of the grid being out of contract at the very moment when Sainz and his team are trying to plan his future.
He had become a potential candidate for the Aston Martin team before Fernando Alonso chose to sign again with the team, while Red Bull and Mercedes also have vacant positions at the front of the grid. There are also rumors about a spot at Audi, which will arrive in 2026.
When asked before the Chinese Grand Prix if he could be forced to choose to race for a team with less potential for success in 2025, he replied that: « No. My best options are still open, which in my opinion is a positive thing and obviously requires some time, given the market situation. »
« It will take some time for everyone to form an opinion and make decisions, but the right options are still open. There has been no progress over the past two weeks, so there is nothing to tell you. Obviously, the sooner one arrives at a point, the faster it evolves, the better it is because at the same time, it’s not as if it affects my performance this year, but the sooner you get it out of your head, the better you know. »
Sainz also stated that: « This requires time and decisions, so now it’s time to let this happen and see the progress. All options are currently viable for me. So I have to consider all the options. »
Bet on 2026
Fernando Alonso, for example, had insisted that having a factory contract with Honda from 2026 was an important part of his decision-making process to stay at Aston, although sources indicated that his chances of signing elsewhere had decreased approaching the Japanese race.
Sainz suggests, however, that given the huge regulation change, he considers that 2026 is a bit like a lottery. He explained that it’s because it’s impossible to know at the moment who will do things correctly for 2026.
« So, even when I make the decision of knowing where I will be in 2026/2027, no matter how much you talk to teams, no matter how they sell you their performance with the engine, the reality is that no one knows. If someone wins in 2026, in my opinion, it’s not due to smart decision-making but because they are just in the right place at the right time. »
« Regarding 2025, my opinion is of course the following: with the level I am showing and how I am currently driving, it is obvious that being in a competitive car would be very attractive to me. But once again, it does not depend on me and I have to keep waiting.
