Carlos Sainz is in talks with Mercedes over a 2025 contract but one issue has arisen, according to a report. Sainz is without a drive for next year after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton from the Silver Arrows.
After Aston Martin successfully tied down Fernando Alonso, Mercedes may be the last front-running team with a vacancy. Lance Stroll is out of contract but his father Lawrence owns the team.
According to FUnoAnalisiTecnica, Sainz is indeed in talks with Toto Wolff’s team. But negotiations aren’t proving to be straightforward.
Damon Hill suggested that Wolff may not be keen to sign a driver who was discarded for Hamilton. However, Sainz has been one of the standout stars of the 2024 season so far.
The 29-year-old won the Australian Grand Prix just two weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. And he’s also scored podiums in both of the other races he’s started in Bahrain and Japan.
Wolff has been trying to sign world champion Max Verstappen, but he’s expected to stay at Red Bull. While Italian sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli is also on Mercedes’ books, the 17-year-old still needs to prove his readiness.
The point of contention between Mercedes and Carlos Sainz
Sainz and Mercedes both ‘want each and other’ for next year, but they have different visions. The former is after a two-year deal with the option of a third, while Mercedes prefer one year with the option of a second.
This arrangement would give Wolff the opportunity to promote Antonelli in 2026, with another year of experience under his belt. The Austrian is excited about the ‘speed, talent and ability’ of the 17-year-old.
He’d also like to keep a seat open in the event that Verstappen decides to leave Red Bull. The Dutchman knows there will be a major regulation change in 2026 that could threaten his current dominance.
Sainz wants clarity over his future as soon as possible after receiving the axe from Ferrari. He seems wary of finding himself in the same position at Mercedes come the end of 2025.
Wolff, for his part, accepts that the German manufacturer ‘cannot afford to wait very long’ to finalise their plans. But it remains to be seen if they can make a breakthrough with Sainz.
Where will Carlos Sainz go?
Sainz does have some bargaining power in his talks with Mercedes. He knows that promoting Antonelli would be a gamble, and that signing Verstappen may remain a dream.
What’s more, there’s significant interest from other teams. Red Bull director Helmut Marko even admitted in Japan that they would ‘have to’ consider Sainz for next year.
The problem there is that Sergio Perez is performing well this year, with three runner-up finishes in four races. And that’s before you consider whether the almost ‘impossible’ challenge of beating Verstappen.
Aside from that, Sainz is looking further down the grid. Journalist Lawrence Barretto says Sauber and Williams appear to be his likeliest destinations after Aston Martin’s announcement.
Neither team has scored a point in 2024, but Sauber are at least set to become Audi in 2026 following a takeover. That could give them the financial backing to climb the grid, but they don’t expect to win titles until around 2031.
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