Carlos Sainz faces joining F1 team he rejected as Alpine prioritise ‘complete’ driver

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Carlos Sainz now faces joining a Formula 1 team he has already rejected to stay on the grid in 2025 as Alpine are prioritising hiring a different driver to replace Esteban Ocon.

Seats are becoming harder and harder to earn for 2025 after Haas announced the signing of Alpine exile Ocon. He will join the American-owned outfit next year after Alpine felt it was in their better interests to not give the 27-year-old a new contract beyond the end of this term.

Pierre Gasly is remaining in Enstone beyond this year after the 28-year-old put pen to paper on new terms in June. Now, who he might share the Alpine garage with in 2025 is becoming clearer as the Renault-owned outfit have identified their top target, but it is not hiring Sainz.

Alpine prioritise promoting Jack Doohan over signing Carlos Sainz for 2025

That is according to Blick, which reports that Sainz may be left with just one option to stay in Formula 1 once he leaves Ferrari. The 29-year-old will move away from Maranello at the end of this season after the Scuderia hired Lewis Hamilton. But his options are dwindling rapidly.

Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB are not options for Sainz, while Valtteri Bottas is ready to re-join Williams. Mercedes have also shut their door to the Spaniard replacing Hamilton. Alpine have even identified Jack Doohan as their favourite to get their remaining 2025 seat, as well.

READ MORE: Who is Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan? Everything you need to know

Alpine are eager to promote Doohan from his reserve driver role, leaving Sainz to reconsider joining Sauber in 2025 to become a works Audi driver from 2026. Alpine are also running an extensive F1 test programme for Doohan, who his old F2 boss Andy Roche called ‘complete’.

Carlos Sainz faces an uncomfortable U-turn to join Audi via Sauber

Doohan potentially joining Gasly at Alpine next year as Mercedes, Red Bull, RB and Williams close their doors to Sainz could leave the Ferrari exile facing an uncomfortable U-turn to join Audi via Sauber. The German automotive giant bought Sauber to join F1 with a factory team.

READ MORE: F1 experts predict the final 2025 driver moves as Haas sign Esteban Ocon

Recently, Blick reported that Sainz cancelled all negotiations with Audi, having decided that Sauber would not be his home in 2025. But he may not have any other options to stay in F1 except to join Nico Hulkenberg at the Hinwil, Switzerland outfit under their new leadership.

Audi has taken a very dim view of Sauber being the sole Formula 1 team yet to score a point in 2024 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. So, Audi fired Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl and hired Mattia Binotto to lead its F1 project. Binotto was Ferrari’s team principal when Sainz joined.