Ferrari will replace Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton at the end of the season, leaving the Spaniard free to negotiate a deal with the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and Aston Martin
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Carlos Sainz wants to “speed up” talks with Formula 1 teams and decide where he will race next year.
The Spaniard needs a new home after Ferrari decided to hand his seat to Lewis Hamilton for 2025. But he has responded to that rejection with the best form of his F1 career and has a win and two more podiums to show for his three appearances so far this year.
Those results have made him a strong candidate for the top teams who still have driver decisions to make. Mercedes definitely need someone new to replace Hamilton, while Red Bull could choose to bring in a fresh face with Sergio Perez’s contract expiring.
Aston Martin is also a potential option with some “factions” at the team keen for Sainz to replace Fernando Alonso. And Audi, whose F1 project officially begins in 2026 when the German carmaker takes over the existing Sauber team, made Sainz their top driver target last year.
The 29-year-old suggested he has been speaking with all of the above and more as he mulls over what life after Ferrari will look like. And he now wants to get serious to get his place on the 2025 grid secured swiftly.
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.
“I don’t have any news for you or nothing to say here. 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.
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“I have no clue where I will be next year. It’s true we’re talking to many teams. I just need to keep focused on what I’m doing, prove to myself and everyone that when I’m given a fast car, I maximise what I’m given and I deliver.
“It’s been a strong start to the season. With this car you can shine a bit more. With last year’s car, I did performances similar to this year but you couldn’t shine. It was a much more difficult car to drive, a lot more degradation and you were looking backwards in the race.
“This year you are looking forwards and are overtaking, which allows you to shine a bit more. It helps but I will keep pushing. [Where Sainz lands] also depends on other teams, what they choose to go for. They know I’m available, so let’s see what happens.”