The future of Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is set to play a huge role in how the rest of the Formula 1 driver’s market plays out over the next weeks and months.
Carlos Sainz has already earned a race victory this season in Australia but appears to be running out of options for a race seat in 2025.
A report from Motor Sport Magazine has shared more details about his search for a place on the grid next year.
There are currently only two teams who have confirmed both of their drivers for next season.
Lewis Hamilton will join Charles Leclerc at Ferrari and McLaren will retain Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
That suggests that Sainz should have eight available teams to choose from heading into next year.
However, Formula 1 is never as straightforward as that and in reality, only a few potential teams remain.
Sainz and his camp are having conversations with many of these manufacturers and have been impressed with what Williams have been saying behind the scenes.
Team principal James Vowles already has one top driver signed up for next year and if he can add Carlos Sainz to his line-up, then the team with 313 F1 podiums to their name could be in a really strong position next year.
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Carlos Sainz’s camp have been really impressed by Williams during 2025 negotiations
At this stage of the season, it appears as though there are only three potential options on the table for Carlos Sainz.
The first and most exciting for the Spaniard is Red Bull, but that now appears to be out of reach as well.
Sergio Perez looks set to earn a contract extension despite two disappointing weekends with Sainz told that he’s no longer being considered by the team.
That leaves Audi – currently Sauber – and Williams are the other teams hoping to sign Sainz for next season.
Although both teams appear to be working hard to sign Sainz, it seems as though his camp has been really impressed by what Williams has to offer.
It was reported last week that the British team had made a satisfactory offer for Sainz, but there’s no suggestion that he’s going to make his mind up quickly.
Williams could have key advantage over Audi in race to sign Carlos Sainz
The report from Motor Sport Magazine that alongside Sainz, Williams are also exploring signing Valtteri Bottas and Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli.
However, on numerous occasions, Sainz’s camp is said to have met Williams team principal James Vowles to understand his long-term vision for the team and have been impressed with what they’ve heard.
Williams also have a big advantage over Audi in the medium-term and that applies to the new regulations coming in 2026.
The field is going to spread out again with all 10 manufacturers likely to interpret the rules slightly differently.
However, at the start of each regulation change, the team with the strongest engine typically performs the best.
Audi will be entering with their own power unit which will be untested in F1 in 2026, whereas Williams will have the Mercedes engine at their disposal.
Mercedes were the team to beat during the 2014 rule changes because of their power unit and in 2026 they’ll be providing engines to McLaren and Williams.
Although James Vowles’s team are languishing near the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship this year, they could be much closer to the front of the pack in a couple of years.
That may be enough to convince Sainz that Williams may be a better option than Sauber next year.
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