The background
Carlos Sainz will race with Williams in 2025, a scenario no one would have bet on at the start of the season, even after the surprising announcement of Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Maranello for the next season.
Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari automatically freed up a seat at Mercedes, and Red Bull is also unlikely to retain Sergio Perez despite his contract extension at the start of the season. In short, there were seats available for Carlos Sainz on paper, but the Spaniard had to settle for Williams.
Flavio Briatore explained why Alpine ultimately did not pursue negotiations with Carlos Sainz: “I spoke with Sainz. He was interesting for us, but only for four years. It makes no sense to take a driver like Carlos for one or two years. Either he believes in our program, or he doesn’t. I don’t need a driver who costs me a lot of money and is looking to join another team as soon as the opportunity arises,” said the manager in a recent interview with the German publication *Auto Motor und Sport*.
“I’m interested in any driver who is fast. Franco Colapinto surprised everyone. But we have contracts with Gasly, Doohan, and Aron for the next season. If there were an opportunity to sign Franco Colapinto for 2026, it would be worth considering. However, one must always be cautious when evaluating drivers. In this sport, after one good race, people get excited. Then the price goes up, and suddenly you’re talking about 20 or 30 million dollars. The choice today is much broader than in the past. There are now six or seven promising drivers in Formula 2 and Formula 3. We want to focus on those who are good. We want to concentrate on those who are strong in our academy and stop spreading ourselves thin. Probably, the choice will come down to three drivers: Aron, Mini, and Martins.” – the Italian manager concluded.
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