Oliver Bearman burst into the Formula 1 scene after his unforeseen arrival in the paddock to replace an ill Carlos Sainz. The British teenager not only managed to perform beyond expectations but also made himself a candidate fit enough to wear the red Ferrari overalls, not just as a replacement. Since Sainz paved the way for Bearman to showcase his potential, the former would now be cautious to land himself a seat as soon as possible for 2025, reckons Eddie Jordan.
Jordan, former boss of the dormant Jordan F1 team, spoke on this in the Formula For Success podcast, “I am sure that Carlos [Sainz] is sitting up in his bed, hopefully recovering at a very quick rate. And he is saying to himself: my god, I better get my seat sorted for ’25, ‘Because there are a lot of very good young kids [drivers] who can stand in”.
The current F1 grid allows only 20 drivers to take part, and most of the top team seats are not available. This makes things tricky for the Spanish driver as he does not have a drive for the next season. Lewis Hamilton will replace Sainz in Ferrari in 2025
Brilliant talents such as Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, and Felipe Drugovich are already waiting in the wings for their breakthrough. This, in return, reduces all the breathing space for the former McLaren star to take things for granted.
Interestingly, Sainz might not be fit enough to race in Australia as there are no concrete updates on his return in the upcoming Grand Prix in the Land Down Under. This might provide Bearman another chance to strengthen his F1 chances for 2025.
What are the possible options for Carlos Sainz?
Following his departure from Ferrari next year, Carlos Sainz does have multiple options to choose from. Given the vast experience the 29-year-old has gathered in F1 with his stints in Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari, any team would like to have him onboard.
However, there’s a catch. Even though Sainz might have multiple teams to choose from, he would definitely want to go for a team capable of winning races, and that’s where the choices get hard.
The Spaniard, being a race winner is unlikely to choose lower midfield and backmarker teams such as Haas, RB, Williams, or Alpine. Among the top teams, Ferrari and McLaren are out of the equation as they already have contracts with their respective drivers for 2025 and beyond. This brings Red Bull, Mercedes, and Aston Martin into the picture.
The #55 driver might be in a direct swap deal with Mercedes and take Hamilton’s seat at the Silver Arrows. Otherwise, he might take Fernando Alonso’s place in Aston Martin if his veteran compatriot moves to Mercedes. If none of these work out, Sainz can still have an outside chance to land himself at Red Bull.
In that case, Sergio Perez needs to disappoint his bosses at Red Bull this year and only that will allow the Spaniard to race alongside Max Verstappen, something he has already done back in 2015 in Toro Rosso. Last but not least, Carlos Sainz might choose Sauber as well.
Audi is all set to take over the Hinwil-based team in 2026 and appear on the scene as an engine manufacturer. Therefore, Sainz would be an important addition to their squad when they enter the pinnacle of motorsport in two years.
