Carlos Sainz was at ease when faced with a series of questions about Lewis Hamilton's replacement for him in 2025 and his future at Ferrari's press conference last week. That's because the Spaniard, a two-time winner in Formula 1, knows he has plenty of options with other teams and is one of the most sought-after drivers at the moment, given his experience and current form.
It's easy to get frustrated when your favorite team decides not to work with you anymore, especially if you feel like you've done well in the previous three seasons.
However, being replaced by one of the greatest drivers of this generation makes the situation slightly more acceptable (Ferrari will almost certainly sign him again if long-term target Hamilton is out of reach) – and, to his relief, the fact that there are plenty of teams already vying for his signing.
Suffice it to say that the eight teams with open spots in 2025 – Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine, Williams, RB, Sauber and Haas – all eight are likely to land. Now is the perfect time to lose your seat and need to find a new place in the fleet.
With that in mind, Sainz is in no hurry to make a decision. No matter what happens, the Spaniard knows he'll end up with a good seat.
What needs to be considered is, what type of project does he want? A vehicle that could get him almost immediately in the fight for the podium and victory, like Red Bull, Mercedes or Aston Martin? Or is it a team that requires some patience but offers an opportunity for him to potentially lead the team and lead them up the rankings, such as Alpine, Williams, RB, Sauber and Haas?
I know I've been doing well lately," he said when we spoke last week. "I know that in other teams there will be great opportunities to be competitive in the future.
Now is the time to analyze carefully, listen to everyone, listen to everyone, and make sure I give myself some time to understand exactly what I want to do in the future, and I'm going to spend my next, who knows, maybe three or four years of my career.
I'm 30 years old, which means I'm probably in my prime, so I wanted to make sure I gave myself some time to analyse and listen to everyone and see if I could go.
Obviously, there are projects that will rank higher in his shortlist, but at the moment, everything is considered possible.
One thing is for sure, no matter what kind of contract he signs, he wants stability. His last three contracts have all been multi-year, which has given him continuity, removing any uncertainty and allowing him to focus on his work. A one-year or one-plus-one contract, like Hamilton's signing with Mercedes, would be an unappealing offer.
Wherever I go next, I'm looking for stability and a fun project to be a future champion," he added. "I believe in stability. I'm a firm believer in consistency, it's not a secret that the people you work with get to know each other and integrate into your team for more than a year or two, it's my preference, which is why I need to give myself time to make informed decisions. ”
While choice is a good thing, it can also come with headaches, especially given the new rules in 2026 – which will involve the use of 100% sustainable fuels and heavy reliance on battery energy – have the potential to shake up the competitive landscape of athletic competition.
Figuring out which team can best cope with these changes will be one of the challenges for Sainz and its management team.
Who will have the best power unit? Does the fleet have a strong fuel supplier? What is their financial strength? How invested are they in their operations? Are they strengthening infrastructure? Do they have newer simulators and wind tunnels? What are their long-term plans?
Sainz and Mercedes work together very well. They will get a rider who has won many times with relentless consistency, is extremely sensitive to feedback and has a good relationship with all his teammates. Sainz will get a car that will keep him at the front, with world-class facilities and enough financial strength to take on his rivals in the field.
Aston Martin is also a very strong option. The 42-year-old Fernando Alonso won't stay with the team forever – if billionaire Lawrence Stroll intends to continue driving the team's positive momentum for the foreseeable future, he'll want to recruit a strong, consistent and experienced driver who can propel the team forward for the long haul. Sainz fits the bill.
However, Williams is believed to have a great admiration for Sainz. They gave the Spaniard a chance to join a team that is building impressive momentum and has plenty of resources for the future. This is certainly a risk, but it can pay off very well.
Then you have the Sauber team, which will be Audi's factory team in 2026. Sainz knows their CEO Andreas Seidel very well, as they worked with McLaren for two years, and his father, Carlos Sainz, who has competed in the Dakar Rally for the last three years for the entry Audi, will understand what a powerful motor sports organization Audi is.
Red Bull and RB are also among the options, Sainz's parting of ways with the Red Bull family was peaceful, having debuted through their youth programme, and Alpine is also an option if he wants to return to the team he is familiar with, having raced for them under the Renault banner.
So Sainz and his team have a lot to think about in the coming weeks and months.
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