Carlos Sainz defied all expectations by winning the Australian GP just two weeks after undergoing an appendicitis surgery. Many were surprised, but this wasn’t the first time he did something people didn’t expect him to do. Sainz has had his fair share of doubters, and one of them was Will Buxton, who underplayed Sainz’s chances and looked down on his ability to make it big in F1.
In a recent episode of The Red Flags Podcast, Buxton said, “In his junior formula days, I never imagined he would become the driver that he is today. Or have the longevity that he’s had.”
The hosts asked the 43-year-old whether he feels Sainz is overrated, underrated or appropriately rated. To this, Buxton shockingly admitted that, “I didn’t actually think he’d make it to Formula 1!” However, defying all expectations, Sainz has made it to F1. In fact, he is the only driver to have defeated Red Bull since the start of 2023. And he has done it twice.
Unfortunately for Sainz, his heroics cannot save his Ferrari seat. Ahead of the start of the campaign, it was revealed that he would leave the Maranello-based outfit to make way for Lewis Hamilton. As per Buxton, Sainz, who will most certainly land a seat in 2025, will shake up the grid with his move.
Hamilton is moving to Ferrari. This opens up a place in Mercedes, and logically, Sainz would be the most likely candidate for Toto Wolff’s team. However, Fernando Alonso, Alex Albon and Max Verstappen are all linked to the Brackley-based outfit.
How Carlos Sainz can stir up the entire grid in 2025
There are several drivers whose contracts end in 2024, including Albon and Alonso. Sainz will depart too, setting the stage for one of the most interesting silly seasons in recent times.
Speaking about the same, Buxton said, “It is going to be one of the most tumultuous and uncertain driver markets that I think the sport has ever known because there’s so many unknowns.”
Sainz could have a lot of interested teams scrambling for his signature. But, moving from Ferrari, Sainz would prefer signing for a team that can compete at the front, and not a backmarker. Audi, who will take over Sauber from 2026 onwards, has strong links to the Madrid-born driver. But as many experts pointed out, the move would be a waste of his talents.
In that case, Red Bull and Mercedes remain his most likely destinations. Because these are the only two teams with available seats, who are poised to be a race winning outfit in the coming years.
