Despite predictions that the Formula One driver market for 2025 would fall into place own the next few weeks, Carlos Sainz is not doing his part in bringing matters to a swift head. Even prior to the news the Spaniard was being released by Ferrari in favour of Lewis Hamilton for 2025 Sauber/Audi immediately made their intentions clear they wanted Carlos in their driver lineup.
The German motorsport brand had given Carlos a deadline of the end of April to decide whether he would join the Sauber outfit next season, but the deadline came and went so Audi extended their offer indefinitely.
It then became clear that serious talks had been taking place between Williams and the Spanish driver and team boss James Vowles went public in Montreal stating the team’s “number one choice, is Carlos.”
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A flurry of activity then took place as journalists were briefed that an announcement would take place in Barcelona, the home race of Carlos Sainz. A draft embargo statement was prepared preventing the reporting of Carlos signing for the Grove based outfit, yet the announcement never came.
Meanwhile, Flavio Briatore had been appointed to Alpine as a ‘consultant’ similar in style to the role that Dr. Helmut Marko plays for Red Bull and the Italian former team boss made a beeline for the Sainz camp in an attempt to persuade them Carlos should return to the team he raced for as Renault back in 2017/18.
Sainz appeared frustrated in the FIA press conference at the Circuit de Catalunya when asked for an update on which team he would be driving for next season. He claimed the delays were now affecting him mentally and gave the impression he was close to a deal.
Yet as the F1 circus rolled into Austria, there was still non announcement made about the Spaniard’s future, but now reports are circulating his options have narrowed now Williams are moving on to talk with other drivers.
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Flavio puts a spanner in the works
It appears the Renault offer promised significant changes in the way the team will operate going forward with suggestions the French Manufacturer may cease supplying engines to the sport and the current Alpine will become an independent entity supplied by another power unit manufacturer.
Honda have a duty to supply power units if necessary yet the paddock talk suggests Flavio is attempting to strike a deal with Mercedes. The prospect of driving for what is a manufacturer’s outfit with a competitive power unit appears to have tickled Sainz fancy which is why the Spaniard has put-on hold decisions over Audi and Williams.
However, James Vowles is keen for the project at Williams to progress at pace and given the huge investment coming into the team, the ex-Mercedes man wants a driver who believes in his vision of the future. The boss at Grove wants a grand prix winner alongside Alex Albon for 2025 and now attention has turned to Valterri Bottas and Alpine’s own driver, Esteban Ocon.
Bottas and Ocon are well known to James Vowles given the Finn drove alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for several seasons. Esteban Ocon had been a development driver for the Brackley based squad too during Vowles years with the team.
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Williams want commitment
Sainz apparent hesitation may signal to the Williams team boss that he is not committed to the project of modernising the iconic British racing marque as Vowles requires. Meanwhile, Haas F1 have made it known they are interested in the services of Esteban Ocon and Sauber/Audi if they can’t capture Sainz’s signature will probably retain the services of the Finnish driver.
This all leaves Williams at the back of the line and while Sainz has not yet been excluded by Vowles, the clock is ticking and the Williams boss is a persuasive character.
Speaking in Austria, Esteban Ocon refused to confirm he was all set to join Haas imminently. “There are, yes, many options but I will not comment on what priority,” said Ocon. “We at no cost want to live that again, for sure. It’s going well at the moment, there’s a lot of deep discussions going on and it should be sorted soon hopefully.”
Ocon is talking about the year he was forced to sit out Formula One competition when he was released from Racing Point at the end of 2018. The Frenchman spent a year in Brackley as a development driver before joining the current Enstone based squad then known as Renault in 2020.
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Bottas: ‘a piece hasn’t yet fallen into place’
Vatlerri Bottas made revealing suggestions when he commented in Austria he had expected things to fall into place by now. “I was hoping there would be decisions made earlier this week but deadlines got pushed back again,” said the ten times Grand Prix winner.
The Kick Sauber driver had expected a certain announcement presumably Sainz next move, to already have been made and then his own future would be resolved swiftly after that.
“On my days off, I’ve been active with my management, with different teams, including this team obviously,” he said. “So yeah, kind of waiting for a piece to fall into a place and then it should all happen pretty quick.”
Bottas knowns his future
Bottas was candid when asked if his future was certain in his own mind. “Absolutely. I’ve got my priority and my order, which I can’t tell you. But yeah, for me, it’s pretty clear what I want,” said Valterri.
Part of the difficulty is that Sainz is believed to want clauses entered into any contact that should a seat come available at a top team like Red Bull Racing, he would be released. Yet Audi want drivers committed for the longer term and given technical director James Key said earlier this year the full integration between Sauber and Audi would only take place towards the end of 2026, there’s little hope they will sign Carlos unless he is committed into 2027 and beyond.
Williams too want some long term commitment although Alpine appear to be offering the most flexibility with 1+1 year deal on the table. This wold give Carlos the flexibility he desires to be a free agent for the big new rule changes coming in 2026.
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Just when not seemed it was safe for Christian Horner to go out in the Formula One paddock, a bitter new row has erupted within the Red Bull team. The boss in Milton Keynes was accused earlier this season of “inappropriate behaviour” towards an employee, though an investigation by an external Kings Council top lawyer cleared Christian of any wrong doing.
At that time Jos Verstappen accused the Red Bull boss of “tearing the team apart”and called for him to be removed. Yet its almost certain Verstapen Snr was the mouthpiece of Austrian minority shareholders whose plot to remove Horner came undone when the Thai majority shareholder stepped in to given the longest standing F1 team boss his backing.
The female employee’s legal representatives stated she would appeal the decision, though several months on no news has emerged as to how this process is being resolved. Verstappen Snr’s ire towards Horner is believed to be down to the fact that Jos had previously had a relationship with the employee and was upset with Horner over his alleged ‘sexting’ disclosed by an anonymous email sent to around 130 senior paddock figures…. READ MORE
