Sainz to reveal F1 team choice for 2025 ‘very soon’

©Ferrari

Clarity on Carlos Sainz’s F1 future is around the corner according to the outgoing Ferrari driver who says that he will reveal his team choice for 2025 “very soon”.

Sainz is no longer in the picture at Red Bull following the team’s decision to extend Sergio Perez’s contract until the end of 2026.

There also seems to be no interest from Mercedes given Toto Wolff’s focus on promoting young gun Andrea Kimi Antonelli to Lewis Hamilton’s vacant seat.

Sainz is reportedly at the top of Audi-Sauber’s shortlist for next season, but it is believed the Spaniard is reticent to associate himself with a project that will likely take several years before it bears fruit, even despite the German manufacturer’s lavish offer.

However, Williams recently emerged as an unexpected suitor of Sainz’s services, and the whisper in the paddock in Montreal was that the three-time F1 winner was seriously considering the Grove-based outfit which team boss James Vowles is steering towards a prosperous future.

Read also: Vowles convinced Williams is ‘the right option’ for Sainz

Speaking to Spanish broadcaster Antena 3, Sainz kept his cards close to his chest but nevertheless divulged that he will tell all regarding his F1 future “very soon”.

“I have my options on the table ready to make a decision and I’m going to make it very soon because I want to get it out the way to focus on the rest of the year with Ferrari,” commented Sainz.

“There will be time to think about the next team.

“This year I have a car that allows me to get on the podium and win some races and I want to focus on that.”

In Montreal, Vowles publicly stated that Williams would be the best fit for Sainz who would find himself racing at the British outfit alongside Alex Albon.

“It’s been highlighted that there’s one or two options for him and we’re very much one of those two,” said the Williams chief.

“I personally think we’re the right option – it’s a good match made together, but the choice remains, of course, his.”

Queried on his next move in Canada, Sainz hinted that he was focusing on securing a long-term deal with a team, seeing the upcoming rule changes in F1 as an opportune moment for a switch.

“I firmly believe that you need a medium to long-term project to be successful in Formula 1,” he said.

“I don’t think you will ever be successful if you just go somewhere for a year and then leave again.

“2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 are a good opportunity, right? 2026 will be a lottery. We have now seen the rules. It is impossible to predict who will manage them best.

“It may be that you will not be competitive in 2025 and 2026. But in 2026 everything will be turned upside down. That could also be a positive surprise.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.