Carlos Sainz has been the talk of the F1 town regarding his future in the sport after the conclusion of the 2024 season. It all started with Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton’s bold move to join forces starting in 2025. Dubbed the biggest driver move in F1 history, it triggered Sainz’s quest to find a new tea that could keep his dream alive of being a champion. While the Spaniard was initially tipped to go to Sauber, which is set to become Audi’s works team in 2026, his recent performances, including his win in Australia, have piqued the interest of multiple top teams, including Mercedes and Red Bull. However, F1 pundit and former team boss, Eddie Jordan, believes that Sainz could very well end up alongside Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin.
Fernando’s contract with Aston Martin is also set to expire at the end of 2024. And while Alonso himself has been linked to the coveted seat at Mercedes after the departure of Lewis Hamilton, he has maintained his stance of giving himself time to decide if he even wants to continue in Formula 1. However, he said that he would prioritize the project at Aston Martin over a seat at Mercedes if he indeed chooses to continue. And recently Aston Martin’s team boss, Mike Krack, made it plenty clear that they very much value the services of the 42-year-old and would like to extend their partnership.
"With Lewis' signature the whole market exploded a little bit!" 🤯
Mike Krack on the current driver market, and his hopes to retain Fernando Alonso "into 2025 and 2026" 📝 pic.twitter.com/7yEK39CMfS
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 12, 2024
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And if Carlos Sainz can’t get a seat with other top teams, Eddie Jordan reckons he could consider the Aston Martin project over Sauber, which could eventually mark the end of Lance Stroll’s career in Formula 1. Red Bull brand ambassador David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan discussed this during the analysis of the Australian Grand Prix on the Formula For Success podcast.
“Do not be surprised if you see an all Spanish Aston Martin team next year,“ said Eddie Jordan. “Bear that in mind where we first heard it. Okay! Log that down and move on… I believe that if there is not a place in Red Bull for him, he [Carlos Sainz] will join Fernando in Aston Martin. That’s what I believe. I have no real hardcore evidence, but it’s a gut feeling. And very often my gut feel is a little bit different to other people’s gut feel and sometimes I get it right, sometimes I absolutely screw up. So you can take your choice on that one, David, but it does sound nice.”
Carlos Sainz finds himself a prime candidate to partner with Max Verstappen in 2025 and beyond.
Carlos Sainz is on Christian Horner’s radar as a replacement for Sergio Perez
Sainz is the only non-Red Bull driver who has managed to secure race wins in about a year and a half, undoubtedly an impressive feat considering Red Bull’s domination. Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, even jokingly called Sainz their “nemesis“. But now, it seems like the Spaniard might be on Horner’s radar for real.
The real reason why that might actually be the case is the relative lack of performance from other contenders for the second Red Bull seat. Sergio Perez, who’s already in that seat, had a rough weekend, failing to capitalize on the Dutchman’s retirement early in the race, and Daniel Ricciardo didn’t fare much better. Even Yuki Tsunoda, who’s been impressive, might not be in the running as much as you might think. And so, Horner dropped a hint that Sainz could be the answer.
“Yuki’s a very quick driver. We know that,” said Horner after the race in Melbourne. “But we want to field the best pairing that we can at Red Bull Racing, and sometimes you’ve got to look outside the pool as well. You’ve had a very fast unemployed driver win the race, so the market is reasonably fluid with certain drivers.”
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“P1 baby”
What a comeback drive from @Carlossainz55 🤩#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/lIlBFejFUc
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
When asked if his statement means he’ll take back Carlos Sainz, Horner simply said, “Based on a performance like that, you couldn’t rule any possibility out.”
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READ MORE: 2 Teams Shortlisted for Carlos Sainz’s Future as Audi Project Gets Discouraged for the Short-Term
With 12 drivers running out of contract at the end of the 2024 silly season, could we see Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen become teammates once again in 2025? What are your thoughts on the matter?