With two driver announcements made as of Thursday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the focus turns even more firmly on Carlos Sainz.
The Ferrari star has been the subject of countless stories about his future after finding out before the campaign even began that he was losing his seat to Lewis Hamilton.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season
Unfortunately for Carlos Sainz, despite patiently waiting for the pieces to fall into place, not a single seat at one of the current top F1 teams has opened up for him.
Red Bull stuck with Sergio Perez despite his middling form, Mercedes look set to gamble on Kimi Antonelli while on Thursday, Aston Martin announced that Lance Stroll’s contract had been extended.
This has left Sainz looking further down the paddock than he would have liked to stay on the Formula 1 grid for 2025 and beyond.
Speaking on the Unlapped Podcast, journalist Nate Saunders provided the latest information he had about Sainz’s next move.
The most recent development was that Alpine – under the guidance of the returning Flavio Briatore – have made an improved offer for the Spaniard.
However, his camp may not be completely convinced that it’s in his best interests to re-join the French manufacturer.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height
Carlos Sainz’s camp still leaning towards 2025 move to Williams
Talking about Sainz’s situation, Saunders said: “I think he’s just had too much time to think about it and I feel for him because it’s not a situation that a driver of his talent deserves to be in.
“What I’ll say is I still think he’ll pick Williams, I think that’s what closer to him are advising him to do.
“If you actually look at the deals, it sounds like Williams’s deal he’ll be able to get out of it sooner.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
“Audi want him committed very, very long term, they want to make him the face of the project.
“Which is great money-wise and great status-wise but if Audi turns out to be a complete dud, you’re stuck there.
“I’ve heard different things [about the Williams deal]. It’s definitely a multi-year deal, but someone described it as a one-plus-one-plus-one where you basically have two option years.
“They expect you’ll take the second but I suppose the subtext of that is that it’s much easier to get out of if let’s say after a year you absolutely destroy Albon and another team comes knocking.
“That’s what I was lead to believe in Spain and that does sound like it is the case out of those deals.”
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Formula 1 drivers all waiting for Carlos Sainz to make his move
Williams have already made a very strong pitch to Sainz in the past and given his camp were left wanting more from Mercedes in their talks, that’s a very positive sign for James Vowles’s team.
Vowles probably didn’t expect Flavio Briatore to suddenly be a person he needed to worry about in negotiations and the Italian has been brought in by Alpine to oversee key talks.
One of the benefits of Sainz driving for Williams will be having access to the Mercedes power unit for the next set of regulations.
Alex Albon cited it as a key reason why he stayed at Williams and although the team are second-last currently in the Constructors’ Championship, it could potentially lift them into the midfield or even further.
The Spaniard said ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix: “I don’t want to be in a hurry, I’m going to take as much time as necessary, without having that feeling that once I make the decision maybe I should wait and see more options with a little more calm.”
Sainz’s delaying tactics have left the rest of the grid who are waiting for their futures to be decided slightly frustrated.
Kevin Magnussen ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix described him as the cork in the bottle of the driver market.
Formula 1 fans shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for Sainz to make his final decision and Williams will hope his camp continue to believe they’re the best team for him to join in 2025.
The post ‘What I’ll say’: What Carlos Sainz's camp are telling him to do after improved 2025 Alpine offer – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.