Carlos Sainz has been strongly linked to a move to Red Bull next year. But according to F1 presenter Lawrence Barretto, if the move to Milton-Keynes does not materialize, the 2024 Australian GP winner would most probably look to gamble with Williams for 2025 and beyond rather than join Sauber.
Sauber are going to be transformed into the Audi works team from 2026 onwards. However, Barretto feels that Sainz would not be interested in a long-term project that might come into shape many years down the line.
Instead, with Williams doing better than Sauber at the moment, the 29-year-old would be hoping to gamble on them for a shorter-term project. Speaking on The Race’s F1 podcast, Barretto explained,
“I’m just not sure [Audi is] the project he wants at the minute. I think he would want to take a gamble on Williams maybe. Because if you want a slightly better short-term option, Williams are in a much better spot than Sauber are at the moment.”
As things stand in the 2024 Constructors’ standings, both Williams and Sauber have scored zero points. That being said, the Grove-based team look a sharper outfit than Sauber in terms of pace and performance. This is what may sway Sainz towards the iconic British team, according to Barretto.
And despite Audi’s arrival in 2026, the project at the team is highly disadvantaged compared to Williams. Audi themselves have a task at hand in developing their 2026 power units as they have started developing the same just recently. Williams’ suppliers, Mercedes, on the other hand, have been working on their project for a while now.
Has Carlos Sainz already signed a deal for 2025?
Amongst all the paddock chatter about Carlos Sainz potentially heading to Red Bull for 2025, it would appear that the Spaniard already has his future sorted. With him making way for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, many credible reports are suggesting a straight swap for the Spaniard at Mercedes.
Media outlets, including Crash.net, have suggested that Sainz has been offered a two-year deal by the Silver Arrows as a replacement for Hamilton from 2025 onwards. It seems that an announcement is imminent in the coming weeks.
If the Red Bull deal does not materialize, then Mercedes would arguably be the best bet for Sainz. The Silver Arrows have a proven championship-winning pedigree. Moreover, with the 2026 engine-specific regulations reset kicking in, Mercedes have been touted to rise out of their slump.
The last time engine rules were overhauled in F1, Mercedes arose as the biggest winners. They won a record eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021. Hence, with a potential repeat right over the horizon, a project with the Silver Arrows could be an exciting prospect for Carlos Sainz.
