Carlos Sainz remains on the lookout for a seat for 2025 with just seven months left in his Ferrari contract. Lewis Hamilton will replace him which will create a vacancy at Mercedes. Sainz’s first choice would be to drive for a top team like the Silver Arrows. However, Mercedes has reportedly refused to accept his demands for the length of the contract.
Auto Motor und Sport reveals that the Brackley-based outfit is willing to offer the Spaniard a one-year deal. Sainz on the other hand, is not willing to settle for anything less than a two-year contract.
Mercedes isn’t the only team Sainz is talking to. The Madrid-born driver has reportedly been in touch with both Williams and Audi, but he would prefer driving for Mercedes because of a higher chance of competing at the front end of the grid. Even though Williams and Audi have offered him a two and three-year deal respectively, Sainz is holding out.
#AMuS about the F1 Driver rumors in Monaco:
– Sainz wants a two-year contract, Mercedes would only be willing to give a one-year contract.
Williams and Audi would give him a two-year contract, Audi perhaps even three years.
He still has not made a decision because of this decision…— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) May 28, 2024
That being said, the outgoing Ferrari driver is not in a big hurry to put pen to paper. He insists that it is a big decision, which could define the fate of his F1 career. Hence, he wants to evaluate all his options carefully, before signing for any team.
Meanwhile, Mercedes wouldn’t mind landing Sainz as they are in the immediate need of a top replacement as well. However, they don’t want to sign him on a multi-year contract mainly because it will clash with their own plans for the future.
Why is Mercedes not willing to give Carlos Sainz a two-year deal?
Mercedes’ unwillingness to sign Carlos Sainz long-term stems from the fact that Kimi Antonelli is knocking on their doors. The Italian prodigy is Toto Wolff’s favorite to lead their project in the future, but he still needs time to develop, which is why the Brackley-based outfit doesn’t want to sign him right away.
Wolff is aware of Antonelli’s potential. Hence, as suggested, the Austrian wants to train Antonelli with the requisite experience. This could mean a further year in Formula 2 or maybe a year-long stint at a lower-midfield team like Williams. This is why Mercedes is most certainly looking to sign Sainz only on a one-year deal as of now.
Sainz still has 16 more races with Ferrari, after which he will vacate his seat in Maranello. There are multiple suitors interested in Sainz, but none seem to fulfill what he is looking for. The 29-year-old wants a top team to sign him on a long deal, but when the time comes, he might have to sacrifice one of the two conditions.
