Carlos Sainz admits he could leave F1 to satisfy his racing desires amid uncertain Williams future

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Williams ace Carlos Sainz hopes to keep racing until he is at least 40 years old, but he is non-committal about his future being in Formula 1 as other categories also appeal.

Sainz has been a permanent presence on the Formula 1 grid since 2015 when Red Bull gifted the Spaniard his debut driving for their sister team Toro Rosso (now named Racing Bulls). He has since driven for Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and Williams and boasts 234 Grand Prix starts.

Williams signed Sainz on an initial two-year contract ahead of the 2025 F1 season, after they convinced the 31-year-old to reject interest from Audi and Alpine. All three teams sought his signature after Ferrari decided not to extend Sainz’s contract to instead land Lewis Hamilton.

Carlos Sainz wants to keep racing until he’s 40 years old, but not necessarily in Formula 1

Joining Williams in 2025 saw Sainz add two Grand Prix podiums to his F1 career tally, which today stands at 29 and features four race wins to date. Sainz finished third in Baku and also Qatar last year, while his best results through the first five rounds of 2026 have all been P9.

READ MORE: The best moments of Carlos Sainz’s career in Formula 1

Sainz hopes to enjoy many more seasons of competition, too, but he will not necessarily see out his career in F1. To realise his current goal of racing for at least another nine years, Sainz admits he may leave F1 to sample a rival series – although he does not specify which series.

“I envision a long career,” Sainz told Vanity Fair. “And I think I’m someone who will be in the world of sports, and motorsports specifically, for quite some time.

“I don’t know in what role or how, but I’d like to keep racing from at least 31 to 40 years old, for sure, whether it’s Formula 1 or any other discipline.

“And from there, I’ll look at my personal and family situation and decide if I want to continue racing or if I want to dedicate myself to another role within the sport.

“Maybe in five years you’ll interview me again and I’ll tell you something different. But right now, that’s what I want to do.”

Carlos Sainz’s comments come amid reports linking him with McLaren and Red Bull

Which of Carlos Sainz’s F1 wins was the best?

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Sainz’s interest in competing in a series outside F1 also comes amid uncertainty surrounding his future in Formula 1 with Williams just 18 months into his spell in Grove. It is thought that the Madrid native is already exploring moves for 2027 as he would be free to leave Williams.

Reports have suggested that Sainz is keeping an eye on McLaren’s driver line-up for 2027, as he already believes joining Williams was a mistake and may be open to a return to Woking. Sainz has upheld good relations with McLaren after his short tenure there in 2019 and 2020.

Alternatively, it has also been reported that Sainz’s manager has approached Red Bull over a potential reunion with the brand. Sainz is a product of the Red Bull Junior Team, but was not offered the chance to race for their main F1 team after he was snubbed for Max Verstappen.

Sainz moving to Red Bull in 2027 would very much depend on whether Verstappen’s threats to retire from F1 prove to be genuine or they are simply a bid to coerce F1 into changing the engine regulations more to his liking. Verstappen hates the power units introduced in 2026.