Another Formula 1 race weekend has come and gone and fans are still no closer to knowing who Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz will be racing for next season.
The form that Carlos Sainz at the start of the 2024 season when he won the Australian Grand Prix and appeared to have the advantage over teammate Charles Leclerc has slightly diminished.
The Monegasque driver is 15 points clear of his teammate in the Drivers’ Championship despite a torrid weekend in Austria.
However, Sainz’s chances of securing a seat in a top team after losing his place at Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton appear to have disappeared.
Unless Mercedes have a sudden change of heart, the Spaniard will likely be fighting in the midfield or even at the back of the grid in 2025 if he chooses to continue his Formula 1 career.
Journalist Diego Mejia was speaking on the Pit Pass Podcast and shared a rundown of events at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.
While discussing the results of the race, Mejia also shared that he believes Alpine will be the ‘new home’ of Sainz in 2025.
After looking like outsiders to secure his signature just a few weeks ago, the French team may end up with a complete ex-Red Bull partnership next year after confirming Pierre Gasly has signed a new long-term contract with the team.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Alpine looks set to be Carlos Sainz’s ‘new home’ after Ferrari exit
Talking about the results of the Austrian Grand Prix, Diego Mejia said: “Max [Verstappen] was fifth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, who scored his best result of the season with sixth.
“While Checo Perez was seventh, carrying sidepod damage from lap one from contact with [Oscar] Piastri and then getting a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
READ MORE: Sergio Perez reveals the full extent of the damage to his Red Bull at the Austrian Grand Prix
“Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Ricciardo and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten.
“Gasly scoring for the fourth race in a row with a team that now looks to be Carlos Sainz’s new home.”
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height
Alpine set to experience plenty of change after the arrival of Flavio Briatore
At the start of the season, Alpine were in a world of trouble and well off the pace of even the likes of Sauber and Williams.
However, just a few months later they’re competing with those same teams for the signature of the most highly-rated free agent on the market and according to Mejia have potentially won that race.
Alpine recently made an improved offer to Sainz and that appears to have delayed the Spaniard announcing a move to Williams.
The British team are floundering this season – albeit not as badly as Sauber – while Alpine are taking small steps forward all the time.
Gasly has achieved four points finishes on the bounce and with both current drivers’ futures decided they appear to be on the right track.
However, Alpine have reportedly suggested to Sainz in negotiations that they’re pursuing Mercedes power units for 2026 which would no longer make them a works team but could put them on the front foot during the next era of Formula 1.
They also recently hired Flavio Briatore who looks set to play a key role in any major decisions Alpine make going forward.
It’s unlikely a decision on that will be made before Sainz has to choose who he wants to drive for after this season.
There’s no standout option on the grid for Sainz which may be why he’s taking so long to make up his mind, but Alpine are starting to put a strong case together that he should return to the French manufacturer.
The post ‘Looks to be’: Journalist has now shared where he believes Carlos Sainz’s ‘new home’ will be next season appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
