Carlos Sainz’s 2025 contract decision helped by change in form of £2.9bn F1 team

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In any other Formula 1 season, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise for a star driver not to know his next destination on the grid at the start of the summer break.

The driver’s market is one of the most fascinating aspects of F1 and this season everything has been accelerated by one man: Lewis Hamilton.

Nobody saw Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari coming at the beginning of February, least of all Carlos Sainz.

Ferrari were planning to offer Sainz a new deal at one point before learning of Hamilton’s availability.

With Charles Leclerc signing a new long-term contract in January, Sainz was the unfortunate driver to lose his seat to Formula 1’s record-breaking superstar.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025

For nearly six months, Sainz’s future has been discussed and speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, journalist Tom Clarkson has shared his latest thoughts on where the Spaniard might end up.

There are only half a dozen seats available on the grid – although Red Bull might end up increasing that number – limiting where Sainz can end up.

Clarkson believes that the recent form of Mercedes could have opened up a place for Sainz at a top team at a time when he was expected to have to join a manufacturer offering a much more long-term project.

This comes at a time when Mercedes junior driver Kimi Antonelli is finally finding his feet in Formula 2.

However, Antonelli’s recent comments about his future suggest the £2.9bn F1 team – as per Forbes – may need to consider their options before making a final decision for 2025.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Mercedes’s recent form could open the door for Carlos Sainz in 2025

Talking about the recent form of Mercedes and their driver line-up situation, Clarkson said: “I do think that Mercedes coming good now, I do think that helps Carlos Sainz’s case of getting at least a one-year deal from the team.

“I think Toto must be thinking we could be championship contenders in 2025, it’s almost unfair to put that weight of expectation on Kimi Antonelli.”

Fabrega: “You could destroy him if he’s not delivering, the normal thing is to not deliver.”

Clarkson: “And some people listening to this will go, oh but Lewis Hamilton was challenging for the championship in his first year at McLaren in 2007 but he was older, he did two seasons of Formula 3 and a lot of testing and a season in GP2 which was the predecessor to Formula 2.

“So, Lewis had a lot more experience than Kimi Antonelli, so it’s not a similar case.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes AMG F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Which teams want to sign Carlos Sainz for the 2025 F1 season?

There are currently six teams with an available seat for next season: Mercedes, RB, Haas, Alpine, Williams and Sauber.

Of those teams, it’s easy to rule out RB – who will be looking to promote from within their academy if they drop Daniel Ricciardo – and Haas as they close in on signing Esteban Ocon.

Williams were once seen as frontrunners to sign Sainz but they appear to have run out of patience with the Spaniard as he continues to delay his decision.

New Audi boss Mattia Binotto could make another move for Sainz after being offered a contract by the German manufacturer months ago.

The pair worked together at Ferrari which may improve their chances of signing the 29-year-old although their pointless start to the season won’t help in negotiations.

The most likely two teams at this stage are Alpine and Mercedes.

Alpine made an improved bid for Sainz as soon as Flavio Briatore began advising the team.

However, Toto Wolff has said that Sainz is definitely an option for 2025 and it would make sense for him to put his short-term future first, rather than gambling on a new project, especially with regulation changes coming in 2026.

Sainz continues to take his time when it comes to deciding his next destination and the summer break might give him the required time to finally put pen to paper for next season.