Another Formula 1 race weekend has come and gone and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is no closer to knowing where he’s going to be driving next season.
After losing his seat to Lewis Hamilton before the 2024 campaign even began, Carlos Sainz has been out to prove to the other team principals on the grid that he’s worth taking a punt on.
Speaking on the Nailing The Apex Podcast, journalist Tim Hauraney has shared his thoughts on where the Spaniard might end up next year.
The news going into the Miami Grand Prix was that Carlos Sainz may have ruled out a move to one team.
One journalist suggested that an offer from Audi to Sainz had expired, although the 29-year-old has rejected the claims that a move to the German manufacturer is off the table.
“That’s not correct,” Sainz said, via Sky Sports, “There are certain things that don’t depend fully on myself and there will be some waiting to done but in the meantime, it’s not like we are completely stopped and we are still in conversations with people and advancing what we can advance.”
However, Hauraney still believes that Sainz will be heading to Mercedes – not Audi – during the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Toto Wolff’s team are still trying to decide on who will replace Hamilton next year and have several drivers on their shortlist.
Sainz might just put himself in a position where Mercedes simply can’t turn down the chance to hire the three-time race winner.
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Carlos Sainz could join Mercedes ahead of Audi for 2025 F1 season
There are technically three teams in the top half of the Constructors’ Championship that haven’t completed their driver line-ups for next season.
Despite the fact that Damon Hill wants to see it happen, it looks very difficult for Sainz to join Aston Martin next year.
Lance Stroll hasn’t been confirmed yet, but there are no signs that the rolling contract he has with his dad’s team is going to be terminated.
That leaves Mercedes and Red Bull alongside Audi as the main options for Sainz heading into the 2025 season.
Toto Wolff’s team are seriously considering youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli, but if he ends up replacing Logan Sargeant, then Mercedes will need a stop-gap.
Meanwhile at Red Bull, Sergio Perez is still waiting to see if he’s going to be offered a new contract and nearly did his hopes a lot of harm after narrowly missing Max Verstappen on the opening corner of the race in Miami.
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Carlos Sainz set to be the key to the Formula 1 driver’s market
Speaking about the driver’s market, Hauraney said: “Sergio [Perez] was a bit of a concern I think this weekend. I mean, he was off the pace this weekend and that seat at Red Bull, that second seat is open.”
His co-host Adam Wylde added: “And it’s rumoured that Carlos [Sainz] is not going to sign with Audi now.”
Hauraney replied: “That’s what I heard as well. Yes, I think he could possibly not sign there.
“I think for Carlos, he wants to go somewhere where he can win.
“I’m still going with my Mercedes call on this one, I still sticking with that. I just don’t see him going back to Red Bull.”
There’s still a lot of talk linking Max Verstappen to Mercedes but that still looks very unlikely at this stage.
If he confirms he’ll be at Red Bull in 2025, then Sainz suddenly becomes the key to the 2025 driver’s market and Mercedes and Audi will have some serious thinking to do.
Sainz joining Mercedes would throw a cat amongst the pigeons for Audi as they would then need to identify a new target to partner Nico Hulkenberg.
That could end up being someone like Esteban Ocon, who scored Alpine’s first point of the season in Miami.
The post I’m still going’: Journalist shares where he thinks Carlos Sainz will be driving in 2025 after Audi offer appeared first on F1 Oversteer.