At the beginning of the season Carlos Sainz was a highly sought after driver but now he’s facing limited options.
With Sergio Perez confirmed for the Red Bull seat next season Carlos Sainz is running out of choices for his drive in 2025. He currently drives for Ferrari, but he’ll need to find a new team since Lewis Hamilton is taking his place there.
Here are his remaining six options, Ranked by how likely we think they are:
- Audi
- Williams
- Mercedes
- Alpine
- Haas
- Red Bull
1xbet website sport betting enthusiasts are closely watching these developments, as Sainz’s decision could significantly impact odds and predictions for upcoming Formula 1 seasons.
6th: Red Bull (RB)
Starting with what we think is least likely, Sainz might go back to Faenza to join Red Bull (RB).
Sainz drove for this team last in 2017, and a lot has changed for both him and the team since then. The team has changed its name twice, and while Toro Rosso was once a Red Bull training ground during Sainz’s time, now it’s somewhere between that and its own team.
Moving to Red Bull (RB) would be a step down for Sainz from where he is now. Unlike Daniel Ricciardo, who returned to a top team last year, Sainz’s reputation is rising. So, moving to what’s essentially a second team doesn’t seem likely for him right now.
5th: Haas
Haas really wants Carlos Sainz on their team because he would be their best driver ever but convincing him won’t be easy.
In terms of how well they’ve done this season, Haas has surprised a lot of people, but they’ve only earned seven points so far which shows they’re not among the top teams yet.
Others on this list might have even fewer points but they have big plans to get better while Gene Haas who owns the team has been more cautious about what he hopes to achieve.
From a money perspective signing Sainz would also cost a lot for the team. Some reports say Sainz’s current deal with Ferrari is about $12 million a year while Haas’ highest-paid driver, Kevin Magnussen, is expected to make around $5 million.
4th: Alpine
Alpine really needs a new driver after Esteban Ocon confirmed he’s leaving. Pairing Pierre Gasly with Sainz would make a strong team but Alpine might have trouble convincing Sainz to leave Ferrari for Enstone.
Alpine has had engine problems and a bad start to the 2024 season which has made their team less attractive. They need to show more progress in their rebuilding before drivers like Sainz would consider joining them.
3rd: Mercedes
Mercedes has had some tough years recently but its still a big deal to join them especially with new engine rules and some more coming soon.
Mercedes is known for its powerful engines like McLaren has shown this year. They’re a good team to bet on to be strongest when the new engines start in 2026.
Sainz may only have one more opportunity to play for a squad that truly can and has won championships if he joins Mercedes.
While switching to a team like Williams or Alpine could be risky, switching to Mercedes is also risky but appears to have a higher chance of success.
2nd: Williams
A move to Williams is starting to look more possible every day.
A few years ago, saying that would have sounded crazy, but James Vowles, who runs Williams, has big plans to move the team up in the standings.
Vowles already convinced Alex Albon to join Williams, so it’s possible he could do the same with Sainz.
David Croft, a commentator on Sky F1, said Williams is one of two teams Sainz is thinking about.
“He [Vowles] knows it won’t happen right away, it will take some time, but he’s offering a big opportunity,” Croft said on the Sky F1 podcast.
He sold Alex Albon on that opportunity. And Alex believes in the Mercedes engines for 2026.
Can he get Carlos Sainz? Yes, he can. It’s not just about money; I talked to Sainz’s team about this, and he has a choice: Audi or Williams.
1st: Audi
The most likely choice for Carlos Sainz would be joining Audi, which has always seemed like a natural move.
Audi has shown a strong interest in Sainz, and his father, Carlos Sainz Sr. has connections with the team making a move there even more likely.
The main issue is how competitive Audi will be in 2025. Right now, it doesn’t look like they’ll be very competitive unless something big changes.
Sainz is doing really well at Ferrari right now, so he’s not sure about risking a whole year to hope that Audi will be successful right away. But as his options become fewer joining the big German team seems more appealing.
Nico Hulkenberg is already confirmed for Audi, so if Sainz joins, they’ll have a strong team for their first year in Formula 1. Now they just need to convince Sainz to take this big step.
