Sainz’s options besides Ferrari: Audi, Mercedes, Aston…

Carlos Sainz will fulfill his contract with Ferrari until 2024 and from 2025, Hamilton and Leclerc will form the next Maranello team. Some doors are closed and others are open for the 29-year-old Spanish driver, who is highly regarded by the entire Formula 1 “core team” for his ability to be fast in different cars and adapt to different conditions in a short time. After leaving Toro Rosso he went through Renault, McLaren and Ferrari and was at car level or better in several races. His time at Woking (2019-2020) quickly made him in the real top 6 grid, and with the Italians he lived up to expectations and achieved technical connection with Leclerc (3-2 wins for Charles since they were teammates, 2-1 in the World Cup standings, but always very close to each other).

Few drivers offer two wins, five pole positions, 18 podiums and ten years of Formula 1 experience in 2025. Without talking about specific proposals, we can talk about available options and extremely interested teams. Williams, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Sauber have free wheels. (which will be Audi in 2026), Alpine and Red Bull. The energy option can be considered ruled out, given that Verstappen has become the team’s first and almost only option until 2028, as well as the special actions of Helmut Marko and company. Perez’s contract expires in 2024, Ricciardo is in their bedroom.

Mercedes, Sauber and Aston Martin stand out from the rest due to competitiveness or ambition. Brackley’s case is logical: the best car currently available for 2025 in a team that recently (2013-2021) won eight consecutive constructors’ titles. A car that will fight for podiums from now onand a logical exchange with Lewis. Russell is under contract until 2025. In the case of Aston Martin, his progress since 2023 is clear and Alonso could have a free midfielder next year if he wants it.

The Audi project is the one that has received the most public interest in recent months., even while he was still negotiating with Ferrari. It is headed by Andreas Seidl, the CEO of Sauber, who already headed McLaren with the Spaniard; and James Key – technical director. 2025 will be a transition year, and in 2026, with a change in regulations, Audi will officially enter with its own engine made in Germany. Due to its prestige and potential, it seems a good place to be in the medium term, but with one drawback: in the first two to three years it will be a team under construction, and this will inevitably affect the competitiveness of the car. There are no crystal balls in Formula 1 that can guarantee whether one of these teams will win the world championship before Ferrari. But, given recent history, this cannot be ruled out.