Audi now face a huge hurdle in CEO Andreas Seidl’s pursuit of Carlos Sainz to race for Sauber in 2025, with the Ferrari exile eyed to replace Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu.
A change is coming to the driver line-up in Hinwil, Switzerland following Audi’s swoop to buy 100% of Sauber. The German manufacturer already secured 25% in January 2023 as Audi plotted the brand’s route into Formula 1. But Audi increased the company’s shares in March.
Sauber will become Audi’s full works entry in 2026 with a factory engine under F1’s next set of technical regulations. But the 2025 season is already in Audi’s focus with Bottas and Zhou out of contract for Sauber after 2024. Audi want to have a driver in the team ready for 2026.
Audi face relying on rival F1 teams not targeting Carlos Sainz
With more than half of the 2024 F1 grid out of contract after the season, Audi have plenty of drivers to target, including Ferrari exile Sainz. According to The Race, the 29-year-old is one of Audi CEO Seidl’s leading targets to replace Bottas or Zhou, and has been for the past year.
Seidl would covet their chance to sign Sainz, who is now a more realistic option after Ferrari dropped the Spaniard. He will leave Maranello following the 2024 season after the Scuderia awarded Lewis Hamilton a multi-year contract to quit Mercedes and partner Charles Leclerc.
Sainz is likely to merit further interest from elsewhere on the grid having won two of his 187 Grand Prix entries. Rival suitors are also likely to threaten Seidl’s chances of signing Sainz for a 2025 Sauber seat, with Audi potentially relying on him not ranking highly on rival shortlists.
Carlos Sainz is Andreas Seidl’s top target for a 2025 Sauber seat
Reports by Bild have claimed that Sainz is Audi’s ‘hottest’ target to race with Sauber in 2025. Bild also notes that Audi CEO Seidl sees the Spaniard as his preferred option having worked with Sainz at McLaren. Sainz and Seidl also built a close bond in Woking, which is still intact.
Another advantage for Audi chasing Sainz is that his dad, Carlos Sainz Sr, also has a special relationship with the manufacturer. Sainz Sr recently secured the German brand’s first Dakar victory as the Spaniard beside co-driver Lucas Cruz became four-time winners of the event.
But Sainz may have plenty of seats to pick from, including replacing Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025. So, Audi face a huge hurdle trying to get Seidl’s top target who Jaime Alguersuari calls a ‘super complete driver’. Sainz has also secured five pole positions in his Grand Prix career.
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