Carlos Sainz holds the key for the silly season at the moment with a lot of futures depending on his decision. He’s still the most sought-after driver on the grid but as he enters a different stage of his career, Sainz wants to assess all the options he has in hand. His delay has caused a lot of unrest within the hopeful teams. However, this is exactly how the Spaniard also got another suitor to choose from.
Alpine made a late entry on the list of teams hoping to sign Sainz. They want the Spaniard to occupy the 2025 seat, recently vacated by Esteban Ocon.
After a difficult start to the season, the Enstone-based team is back in the points, and their return to form coincides with the appointment of Flavio Briatore.
Speaking about the future lineup as quoted by FormulaPassion, Alpine’s Executive Advisor said, “There is a lot of interest, we will see in the next few days. Incredibly he is still free, we are all willing to have him on the team and we will do everything possible.”
| Alpine “will do everything possible” to get Carlos Sainz, says Flavio Briatore.
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The ambitious approach from the Italian might just bring Alpine up to speed with the rest of the competition. The French outfit has big plans but none have materialized yet. Perhaps securing the services of the 29-year-old could kickstart their journey towards the top. It’s also become a realistic possibility as Alpine might opt to become a Mercedes customer.
Alpine desire to become a Mercedes customer might play a role in Carlos Sainz’s decision-making
Renault has been a proud constructor in F1 for decades, and Alpine has been using its engines since the French team rebranded itself in 2o21. However, from 2026 onwards, they are looking to get rid of its F1 power-units project.
The French outfit is rumored to be exploring the possibility of outsourcing its future engine requirements from Mercedes. Doing so, they will join the likes of McLaren, Aston Martin, and Williams – Mercedes’ current customer teams.
Mercedes’ engines are working well (certainly better than Renault’s) which is why signing for Alpine could be appealing for Sainz.
This desire to become a Mercedes customer has been communicated to the Spaniard according to The Race. This is exactly why there was no big announcement in Austria despite the anticipation. Alpine’s inclusion into the mix has sent the 29-year-old back to the drawing board.
