The future of Carlos Sainz is not only one of the biggest talking points in Formula 1 right now, but is also set to have a huge impact on many of his current rivals on the grid.
After losing his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton, unless he ends up doing a straight swap with the seven-time world champion and signing for Mercedes, someone else is going to miss out.
A report from the German outlet Bild believes that while the likes of Red Bull are keen on Sainz, they’re not the most interested manufacturer right now.
Sergio Perez is out of contract at the end of 2024, but there are already noises in the paddock that he might have signed a one-year extension.
That would make moving to Red Bull difficult, while he’s one of the many drivers on Mercedes’s shortlist for next season.
He could even be an option for Aston Martin should Fernando Alonso reject a contract renewal with the British team.
However, Bild believes that Audi – currently Stake F1 Team – have the greatest interest in hiring Carlos Sainz for next season.
It might be a difficult sell for the three-time race winner considering their struggles so far this year.
Audi showing the ‘greatest interest’ in hiring Carlos Sainz
The introduction of Audi to the Formula 1 grid is going to be absolutely fascinating.
They recently committed to buying a 100% stake in Sauber highlighting their commitment to making their F1 bow a success.
There are several key issues they need to address before officially joining the paddock in 2026.
Firstly, the current Stake F1 Team are yet to score a point and look slightly off the pace compared to some of their midfield rivals.
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu under pressure at Stake F1 Team
Valtteri Bottas probably should have been challenging for a point in Australia, however, yet another pit-stop issue cost them a top-ten finish.
His teammate Zhou Guanyu finished 11 in Bahrain but has also been stung by problems in the pit lane.
He’s now entering his third season in F1 without setting the world alight and that brings us to Audi’s next priority.
Team principal Andreas Seidl needs to decide who he wants to drive for the team going forward.
Both Bottas and Zhou are out of contract at the end of the season and haven’t done a huge amount of earn a renewal yet.
Carlos Sainz is still available for 2025 and it’s no wonder Audi are the team showing the greatest interest in the 29-year-old.
He would immediately become the team leader and has shown that he’s only getting better right now.
The question is whether Audi can convince the Spaniard that they’re the best option for him in Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz could have plenty of options on the table
The report from BILD suggests that Red Bull and Aston Martin are two potential options for the three-time race winner.
However, Audi has the ‘greatest interest’ in Sainz currently and they’re ‘desperate’ to convince the Spaniard to join them.
He would be the team’s ‘figurehead’ moving forward, which begs the question of who they want to pair Sainz with.
One potential option is Nico Hulkenberg who would fulfil the role of a German driver for a German team.
There are suggestions that Sainz is already in talks with Audi, but his representatives are probably discussing his future with many manufacturers.
Audi also have several interesting options within Sauber’s driver academy who would be good teammates for Sainz.
Theo Pourchaire is competing in Super Formula this year after winning the Formula 2 title in 2023.
New signing Zane Maloney is currently topping that championship this season and making his case for an F1 seat.
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