Carlos Sainz is leaving Ferrari after this season, as the Italian team has replaced him with Lewis Hamilton. Therefore, the Spanish race driver is looking for a new team for next season.
Despite many in the paddock, especially the Italian media, being certain that Carlos Sainz has signed a pre-contract with Mercedes for the next season, the Madrid-born driver assured on Thursday upon his arrival at the Shanghai circuit that there has been little progress in the negotiations concerning his future. He does affirm, however, that “the best options remain open.”
Sainz is heading into the China GP on a streak of success, having finished on the podium in all three races he has competed in this season (he missed Saudi Arabia due to appendicitis), including a spectacular victory in Australia.
In this context, the Ferrari driver would prefer to focus exclusively on the track, but Lewis Hamilton’s signing with Scuderia for 2025 forces him to seek the best possible seat.
“It will take some time for everyone to make their decisions, but the good options remain open and that’s positive. There has been no progress in the last two weeks, so there is nothing to report. The sooner we reach an agreement, the better because it’s not affecting my performance this year, but the sooner you get it out of your mind and out of the situation, the better,” Carlos said, according to Spanish outlet Sport.
Sainz has hinted at the factors that might determine his decision: “It all depends on what they offer you, the type of project. As a driver, I will always try to find the fastest option available, especially in the way I am now. I believe that if I’m given the right car and team, I can win races and get podiums, as I am demonstrating this year. That is my number one priority as a driver, but surely there are other very interesting options in the medium term, not even long term, that I will consider and am considering. Each option, without a doubt, has its advantages and disadvantages, and I will take all of them into account,” he noted.
Sainz, however, did not want to mention Audi, Red Bull, or Mercedes: “Without naming names, because I don’t want them to become the headline, it’s understood that we have been talking with all the teams, and I mean all. That’s what I meant by good options in terms of winning races, and also the top cars are still there. As I’ve said before, it all depends on the commitments, there are very good options out there, which still make me smile and stay positive about my future.”
“At the same time, I know that some of those options do not entirely depend on me, because it may depend on some people making decisions, which means I have to wait, keep doing what I’m doing. Hopefully, things will be decided sooner rather than later. If it’s later and still good, I’ll be happy to wait.”
