Carlos Sainz saw perhaps his final chance of a front-running Formula 1 seat disappear this week. Red Bull have opted to extend the contract of Sergio Perez rather than bring him back.
Sainz started his F1 career at junior team Toro Rosso in 2015, alongside Max Verstappen. However, Christian Horner and co. were wary of reigniting the tension between the two drivers.
There was apparently a reluctance to reunite their two fathers, Carlos Sr and Jos, because they were the source of the acrimony last time. By keeping Perez, Red Bull believe they will maintain harmony.
In theory, Sainz could still join Mercedes. He would effectively be ‘swapping seats’ with Lewis Hamilton, the man who will replace him at Ferrari next year.
However, it appears that spot has been earmarked for academy talent Kimi Antonelli. A recent report claimed that the Italian had won the unanimous approval of the board after wowing the team in private tests.
Ultimately, then, Sainz likely faces a choice between Williams and Sauber (who will become Audi in 2026). They make up two of the bottom three in the constructors’, so it’s a difficult position for the 29-year-old to be in.
Carlos Sainz not driven by money as he decides between Williams and Audi
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, commentator David Croft shared what he’d been told by the Sainz camp. He’s apparently more interested in an appealing project than a healthy payday.
Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko previously claimed that even they couldn’t match Audi’s offer to Sainz. While Andreas Seidl wasn’t overly pleased with those comments, he did accept that they will have a budget to rival the top teams.
Meanwhile, Williams have reportedly made a ‘satisfactory’ proposal to the three-time race-winner. Sainz is believed to earn £184k a week at Ferrari (Spotrac), so Vowles must have persuaded the board to go all in.
In the end, though, Sainz will join the team with the most promising trajectory. He knows he may have to take some initial pain, but he wants to do so with confidence of long-term success.
Croft said: “It’s not about money. I’ve spoken to the Sainz camp on this one. He’s got a decision – Audi or Williams.
“There’s no deadline from Audi. That has been reported, but it’s not true. He didn’t have to make his mind up by the end of May.
“It’s not about money. It’s about where Carlos sees the vision for the future.”
One team now ‘90% sure’ they’ve captured Sainz
When it comes to short-to-medium-term prospects, Williams may have the edge. James Vowles told one journalist that his team will be more competitive than Audi at first.
It’s inevitable that he’d say that, of course, given his desire to land an A-list driver. But ‘many’ in the F1 paddock agree that the German manufacturer could struggle in their first couple of years.
This argument seems to have held sway. F1 Oversteer understands that Williams are ‘90%’ confident that they have won the race for Sainz.
The key question is how long his contract will be. It remains to be seen whether Sainz is in it for the long haul, or whether he wants to use the Grove outfit as a means of getting back into a top car within the next few seasons.
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