The most exciting seat on the 2025 Formula 1 grid that is definitely available right now is at Mercedes.
That could all change if Red Bull decide to let Sergio Perez go or Max Verstappen suddenly decides he needs a new challenge, but for now, lining up alongside George Russell next year appears to be the main goal for several drivers.
Speaking on the Pelas Pistas Podcast, former F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. has told Toto Wolff who he should be bringing in at Mercedes.
Fernando Alonso signing a new contract at Aston Martin has taken one option off the table for Wolff.
He would still love to sign Max Verstappen but the Dutchman appears unlikely to leave the current constructor’s champions at the end of his year unless the internal issues at Red Bull reach a fever pitch.
There are still lots of options from Mercedes on the grid, but Piquet Jr. believes that Carlos Sainz is the best man for the job.
While Mercedes have their pick of the drivers, Sainz also has his pick of the teams.
Both parties appear to be calling each other’s bluff right now and that could prevent them from teaming up in 2025.
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Nelson Piquet Jr. tells Mercedes to sign Carlos Sainz
There are so many moving parts in the Formula 1 driver’s market right now that it appears as though everyone is waiting for someone else to take the first step.
Alonso’s decision to stay put suggests that the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull might be more conservative with their final decisions.
Red Bull have the most to lose and will have to think very carefully about breaking up a winning combination, even if new regulations are coming in 2026.
Mercedes have the opportunity to be much bolder with the driver selection given they’re now in a period of transition.
They will be lucky to challenge for victories at any stage during 2024 and even 2025 seems like a stretch.
Piquet Jr. believes that Mercedes and Sainz are the best match for each other right now with the most obvious alternative being Audi.
The German manufacturer would be a much bigger short-term gamble, but they also have a remarkable reputation across the other motorsport series they’ve raced in.
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Discussing the £185,000-a-week driver’s future, Piquet Jr. said: “Everyone thinks like that, there’s someone else, someone who thinks all right, I’d rather be in a car like Red Bull and I’ll come in second-best than driving for an Audi or an Alpine.
“McLaren doesn’t have an opening for Sainz so it’s not an option, so the Mercedes is a very big manufacturer, it has one of the biggest teams, it’s probably the biggest structure and everything nowadays.
“It has Toto [Wolff] there who wants more than anything to win the championship again, so it’s a team that we know that at some point or another it will come back on top, right?
“So, if I’m at Ferrari, I can’t go to Red Bull as I’ll be behind Max [Verstappen], I’ll go to Mercedes, I think that’s really what makes more sense.”
If Sainz gets the sense that Piquet Jr.’s preferred destination of Mercedes isn’t on the table, then his position in the market is weakened even further.
He can gamble and wait for Red Bull to confirm their pairing and continue to put pressure on Perez by racking up podium finishes.
Or, he can bite the bullet and commit to leading Audi’s project but that might mean fighting for points rather than podiums in 2025 and potentially beyond.
The post ‘Makes more sense’: Nelson Piquet Jr. tells Toto Wolff that £185k-a-week star is best option for Mercedes seat appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
