With Lewis Hamilton set to join Ferrari in 2025, Carlos Sainz is on the lookout for an F1 seat. With the latter in his last season with Ferrari, many wonder which team he will end up in when the next season commences. According to the latest reports, Mercedes could be the destination of choice for Sainz.
The rumors about a potential switch for Sainz to Mercedes have started picking up wind after Carlos Sainz Sr. was seen coming out of the Mercedes hospitality in Jeddah after reportedly holding talks with Toto Wolff. The video of Sainz Sr. and Carlos Sainz’s cousin coming out of Mercedes’ hospitality center with Wolff is doing the rounds of Instagram.
The driver market was sent into a frenzy in early February when Hamilton made the shock announcement that he was leaving Mercedes for a $400 million+ move to Ferrari. As it turns out, this move could now potentially be a straight swap between Hamilton and Sainz.
Fred Vasseur previously revealed that since Charles Leclerc had already singed an extension with Ferrari, and Sainz was in the middle of negotiations, it was the latter who lost his place when Hamilton’s move was made obvious. Hence, the Madrid-born driver remains on the look out. But if his performances this season act as auditions, it is more than likely that he will find several suitors.
Despite Jeddah setback, Carlos Sainz has made a strong case for the Mercedes seat
Sainz will look to be at the top of the game for the remainder of this season, to show teams that he has what it takes to drive a race-winning car. He put in an incredible display of attacking driving in Bahrain, getting the better of Charles Leclerc on his way to a third-place finish.
Unfortunately, in Jeddah, he could only take part in FP1 and FP2. An appendicitis surgery kept him on the sidelines, paving way for Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut. This small setback, however, shouldn’t stop other teams from recognizing the value Sainz brings to the team.
Mercedes need a replacement, and Sainz is a readymade talent, hungry for wins and for competing at the front of the grid. For now, Sainz will be looking to recover as soon as possible, and make a return to the F1 grid in Australia in three weeks time.
