Ferrari athlete Carlos Sainz will have to leave the team after the season and is considered to be perhaps the most attractive fish in the free agent market. The Spaniard is being actively hunted by the Stake F-1 Team, whose management will be taken over by Audi from 2026.
Audi has never hidden that it would like to start designing its team around the Spaniard. However, the German media writes that this team is not ready to wait forever and C. Sainz has been given a deadline to make a decision before the Monaco Grand Prix.
It is written that C. Sainz is delaying making a decision because he hopes to get a place in a strong team and is very seriously linked to Mercedes. However, the same German media points out that Mercedes manager Toto Wolff can only offer Sainz a one-year guaranteed contract.
T. Wolff has not hidden his ambition to lure Max Verstappen for some time. The Dutchman will probably not leave Red Bull next year, but anything can happen if the technical regulation changes. In addition, Wolff is preparing a place in the team for Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the future, while George Russell is probably untouchable. So, by moving to Mercedes, C. Sainz would run the risk of being unemployed again soon.
It is also reported that C. Sainz’s move to Red Bull seems unlikely. This team should extend the contract with Sergio Perez for another year, so C. Sainz will probably have to choose between Mercedes and Audi options.
In addition, it is announced that the Stake F-1 Team, which recently signed a contract with Nico Hulkenberg, does not intend to keep Valtteri Botto. Zhou Guanyu can still keep his place in the team, but failing to get C. Sainz, this team would seriously consider calling one of Alpine’s pilots – Estebane Ocon or Pierre Gasly.
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