Carlos Sainz Takes “First Step to Leave Ferrari” as $76,000,000,000 Giants Saddle Up to Stir the Circus

Over the past few seasons, it’s become evident that Ferrari is a team that puts all its eggs in one basket. Whose is it? Charles Leclerc. Until and unless their “second drivers” take matters into their own hands—as Carlos Sainz did at the 2022 British GP—it’s always Leclerc who gets priority. Considering how Ferrari’s strategies played out in the race weekends right before the summer break—and throughout 2022—Sainz has realized he might not have a fighting chance against Ferrari’s “golden boy” as long as he stays tied to the Scuderia. And it seems like he’s working toward shifting out of Maranello.

Carlos Sainz is contracted to drive for Ferrari until the end of 2024. In a recent interview with Auto Action, he said, “I do prefer starting a season already knowing where I’m going to be the following year.” When he joined Ferrari in 2021 and immediately beat Leclerc that season, he would’ve thought Ferrari would at least give him the same chances they do Leclerc. That didn’t happen, and now, with Audi entering the field in 2026, there are rumors the Spaniard has signed a pre-contract with the German giants. 

According to Auto Action, “Carlos Sainz has taken the first step to leave Ferrari at the end of his current contract by signing a pre-contract with Audi, as the German manufacturer is gradually taking control of the Sauber team (now Alfa Romeo) before becoming a full-fledged works team from the start of 2026.” Although Sainz revealed he wouldn’t sign a new contract before the end of the season, embarking on Audi’s journey as it enters F1 might be a good career switch for him. 

Read More: “He Had Priority Today”: Carlos Sainz Reveals Ferrari’s Masterplan Involving Charles Leclerc That Made Him Act Unruly

Sainz added, “The goal is to go into the 2024 championship without any worries about it, and my contract for the future already signed and sealed.” Considering Audi was worth $76 billion at the end of 2022, there’s no doubt the German manufacturer has the resources to become a top contender in subsequent years, and Sainz could be the one leading the team. If Sainz is considering the switch, he’s not the only one who thinks it might do him good.

Carlos Sainz would be “in a good place” at Audi

Like Sainz, Leclerc, too, is contracted with Ferrari till the end of next season. But according to reports, the Monegasque has already started contract negotiations for a 2+3 year deal. With rumors that it’s already been signed, Sainz supposedly asked Ferrari for the same extension. With negotiations still ongoing and rumors about his ties to Audi, Sainz is definitely looking at other options. And F1 journalist Joe Saward revealed why a move to Audi might be the right call.

On his blog after the Belgian GP, he wrote, “There is still talk that Carlos Sainz will be off to Sauber in 2025, prior to the team being transformed into the Audi factory team in 2026. At 28, Sainz is surrounded by a younger generation, and so securing a long-term future is a good career move for him. It is unlikely that Audi will be competitive quickly in 2026, but if it is, Sainz would be in good place.”

Watch This Story: Is Carlos Sainz Looking to Move Away from Ferrari?

Do you think Carlos Sainz will be at Ferrari post-2024?