The contract extension of Sergio Perez has definitively closed the doors of Red Bull, but the news didn’t catch Carlos Sainz by surprise. “I already knew it for a while, of course, so it wasn’t an unexpected announcement.” Even at Mercedes (despite still lacking official news), they seem to have other plans, leaving Carlos Sainz in the difficult position of having to choose between a long-term contract with Audi or aiming in the short term for Williams. However, Carlos doesn’t reveal much, implying that he hasn’t made any decision yet.
“The only thing I can say is that I haven’t signed anything. I’ve seen articles in the media claiming otherwise, and I smile thinking that three months ago there were those who saw me at Mercedes already. Then the same happened with Red Bull, but those seats simply weren’t on the market. In some ways, it’s also amusing, this week there are those who said I signed with Williams, and I’m not talking about those on the Formula 1 race tracks, because those here know well when there’s a signature or not, it’s worrying that there are other people who write these things with impunity.” – the Spanish driver pointed out, ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.
Then Carlos Sainz delved into his situation. “I am still firmly convinced that in Formula 1, to be successful, a medium to long-term project is necessary. I don’t believe it’s possible to go to a team, win in the first year, and then say goodbye to everyone; that’s not how it works. I believe it’s necessary to evaluate what will happen in the next four years, from 2025 to 2028. There will be the big regulatory change in 2026, a real lottery that prevents us today from knowing who will be competitive. So, some see my situation very difficult thinking about 2025 and 2026, but I believe that in ’25 the values on the field will be more or less clear, while in ’26 there may be surprises.”
Carlos Sainz confirms he’s not frustrated by the situation he finds himself in. “I can choose where to go, there’s no real frustration. Obviously, my goal is always to win and be in the best possible position, but there are many aspects that determine the teams’ choices, and this makes the scenario much more complicated than perceived from the outside. If you have the opportunity to understand the internal dynamics, you understand that there are always reasons behind the choices we see. I’ve been in Formula 1 for a few years now; I know how it works.”
For the Spaniard, market events and sporting goals are two distinct contexts. There are those working for him in the future perspective, and his attention is more than ever on the present.
“I still have many races to do at Ferrari, and I am focused on maximizing this opportunity. I know I can aim for the podium every weekend, to go on the track without any reservations about the weekend’s result, and that’s a nice feeling.” – he added.
Carlos Sainz’s optimism fits well with his expectations ahead of the Montreal weekend, a track on which, according to the Spanish driver, Scuderia Ferrari should perform well.
“I see this weekend as a good opportunity; I don’t expect the advantage we had in Monaco because we’re on a track with more ordinary conditions, but at the same time, I believe there will be a good balance between us, Red Bull, and McLaren, so we wait confidently for the first feedback, then we’ll see.” – he concluded.
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