The Formula 1 driver market is moving at a fast pace compared to previous years, but there is one move that hinges on the rest of the dominoes falling into place.
Since Lewis Hamilton announced his stunning departure from Ferrari at the beginning of the season, it has posed questions over where Carlos Sainz will end up on the grid.
Initially, it looked like he would be in with a chance at joining Red Bull due to Sergio Perez’s poor start to the year, but the team elected to keep him as the continuity option for the foreseeable.
Mercedes also looked like an option, but it now appears as though they will be employing the services of 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli. This leaves Sainz with limited options, he was tipped to be in line for a seat at Audi but there are questions over their competitiveness out of the box.
F1 Oversteer understands he will join Williams, but they have yet to announce any formal plans for their driver lineup.
Kevin Magnussen blames rival for contract hold-up
This lack of communication from either party has caused the driver market to stagnate, as other drivers await the outcome of decisions regarding their future.
With him rumoured to be replaced by Ferrari protege Oliver Bearman next year, Kevin Magnussen was asked about his plans during the driver’s press conference for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Dane pointed towards Sainz and remarked: “He is, Carlos is the cork in the bottle.
“A lot of guys are waiting for him to make a move. Eventually, all the other pieces of the puzzle will fall. That’s the truth of that.”
Other F1 drivers face axe without plans
Alongside Magnussen, other drivers also face the axe without any plans lined up. Esteban Ocon has indicated that he will have something lined up in the future, while Logan Sargeant looks like he is on the brink at Williams.
Some have questioned why a team would take Ocon due to his ‘problematic’ nature, while the Sargeant must use the next few races to prove himself otherwise he could face an early departure if Kimi Antonelli is promoted to F1 early.
READ MORE: Who is Mercedes academy driver Antonelli? Everything you need to know
The post ‘Cork in the bottle’: Kevin Magnussen blames F1 rival for delaying progress in deciding his F1 future appeared first on F1 Oversteer.