Carlos Sainz looks to ‘speed up’ 2025 contract negotiations

Carlos Sainz has confirmed he is in talks with “pretty much all” the teams on the grid as the Ferrari driver looks for a new team for 2025

Following the shocking announcement that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025, Carlos Sainz has been fighting to stay in Formula One next season. The Spaniard has been very impressive in 2024 so far, and has recorded his best start to a season since joining the grid in 2015.

After securing three podiums in four races, including one win, Sainz currently sits P4 in the drivers’ championship. At the Japanese Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver produced another strong performance. Sainz finished third, beating his teammate Charles Leclerc to the podium.

Ferrari ? Ferrari

And it was Sainz who came out on top to take the final step on the podium ?#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/c61SiJV4XP

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 7, 2024

If Sainz’s season continues as it has started, there is no argument that the three-time race winner deserves to stay on the grid. But where could he go for 2025?

During the post-race interviews at Suzuka, Sainz updated Sky Sports on his 2025 plans. He said:

“I’m talking to a few [teams] because that’s what my management team and myself should do when I don’t have a job for next year yet. So, we’re talking to pretty much all of them. It’s just a matter of obviously going more into detail and seeing the more realistic options and what are the best options for me and for my future, which I don’t have any news for you or nothing to say here.”

He continued, “The only thing I would say is that obviously it’s time now to speed up a bit everything and hopefully we can get it sorted sooner rather than later.”

Where could Sainz go next season?

With 13 drivers out of contract at the end of the year, including Sainz, there are plenty of places available for the Ferrari driver. Perhaps the most interesting prospects for a driver of Sainz’s calibre are the available seats at Red Bull, Mercedes, and Aston Martin. The 29-year-old has been named by all three of these teams in recent weeks.

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has refused to rule out signing Sainz. However, the team boss has admitted that their second seat is Sergio Perez’s to lose.

There are alleged “factions” within Aston Martin that wish to have Sainz replace two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. The latter has been linked to moves to both Red Bull and Mercedes himself.

Finally, there is the possibility that Ferrari and Mercedes will do a direct swap between their two drivers. Allegedly, talks between Sainz’s management team and Mercedes took place at the beginning of last month. Could the Spanish driver replace the seven-time world champion at the Silver Arrows?

Additionally, rumours of Sainz moving to the incoming Audi team have been circulating for a long time. The German car manufacturer will take over the Sauber team in 2026.

Will Sainz sign to an established outfit for 2025? Or will the Spaniard play the long game, and join Audi?

Feature Image Credit: @ScuderiaFerrari on X