Carlos Sainz has been getting a lot of questions over his future, as the Spaniard is yet to decide on his team for 2025. Amid several offers reportedly from Audi (currently Sauber), Williams, and Alpine, Sainz is not in a hurry and wants to contemplate all offers to pick the best prospect. However, this has caused some teams like Williams to get impatient as they wish to secure their driver lineup as soon as possible. Now, Sainz cited how he doesn’t want to take this pressure and instead “enjoy” his few days of glory being a Ferrari driver.
Speaking in the FIA post-race presser after his podium finish in Austria, an Autosport journalist asked the 29-year-old about this pressure from teams to push him into making a decision. Sainz said, “For sure that pressure, I’m not going to receive it on a Sunday afternoon after a podium we are keen to enjoy”.
P3! Good reward after a difficult start to the weekend. It was an eventful race and our pace wasn’t bad, so we’ll take it and keep pushing for the upcoming races. We need to focus on ourselves to try to fight at the top again. On to Silverstone!
https://t.co/DznhN5oL9K pic.twitter.com/M7ZEhWdrLr
— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) June 30, 2024
The #55 driver seconded George Russell’s view of how drivers cannot take getting a podium or a win “for granted”. Sainz knows how his days of driving for Ferrari are numbered. Thus, he wishes to enjoy every win or podium he can get in the Scarlet red car, while keeping his future conundrum aside.
“I was thinking, try to enjoy this moment because who knows when it’s going to be the next time in the future”, he added.
Currently, Sainz is also not looking to fight for the championship as Ferrari is experiencing a hot and cold 2024 season. For him, it is all about doing the best he can, meanwhile, looking to set himself up well for his post-Scuderia career.
Entering his 30s, Sainz would have wanted to be in a race-winning outfit for his championship ambitions. However, his current available options after his Ferrari departure are far away from fighting for race wins or even podiums.
Carlos Sainz will have to compromise in 2025
Carlos Sainz having to choose between Williams, Sauber, and Alpine is a massive compromise for his career. Having climbed up the pecking order from Toro Rosso to Ferrari, the Spaniard was finally getting his due recognition and was winning races, with a strong drive to clinch the championship.
However, as the Italian team have chosen Lewis Hamilton over him, Sainz has to take a huge step back for the 2025 season. Neither Williams, Sauber, or Alpine are high up in the midfield to fight for podiums, let alone wins.
So, the #55 driver choosing to drive for either of these teams will most likely keep him outside the podium places next season, unless mitigating circumstances prevail in select races. Perhaps that is one of the factors why Sainz is taking his time to assess the long-term prospects of these teams before making a final decision.
