The future of Carlos Sainz is still uncertain, many are waiting to know what his choice will be and how this will change the scenario of an already very active drivers market. The Mercedes seat is one of the most prestigious, despite the difficulties of the German team. Toto Wolff would try to bring with him Max Verstappen, but the situation is not so inviting for those who are firmly in command of the rankings thanks to Red Bull. With Fernando Alonso's renewal at Aston Martin, and Red Bull's group show of strength in this first phase of the season, the choice for Sainz has become even narrower. On the one hand Mercedes and the uncertainty linked to the last disappointing cycle with the ground effect single-seaters. On the other Audi, a new team that will take over Sauber in 2026 with a more long-term project. According to the latest rumors, relaunched by Journal of Sport, Sainz, however, would already be in negotiations with Mercedes, who now consider him as the first and only option for the post-Hamilton.
Sainz and Mercedes, announcement soon?
Carlos Sainz started the season in a sign of uncertainty. The arrival of Lewis Hamilton in fact forced Carlos not only to have to play an entire season apart at home, but also and above all to have to look for a seat in order to continue his adventure in Formula 1. The parenthesis in Ferrari was certainly the most fruitful for Carlos who has grown a lot in these three years within the team. The Spaniard has won 3 victories, the last one just a few weeks ago in Australia. In the year of uncertainty, Sainz's response was truly positive, so much so that it led many fans to doubt Ferrari's choice to leave him alone from 2025. Sainz had to react quickly, and the results on the track prove it. This reaction made the Spaniard highly coveted. Much of the situation in the drivers' market depends on the future of Sainz and the Mercedes seat.
A seat that Carlos, after days of intense phone calls and negotiations, seems to have brought home. According to what the Gazzetta reports, in fact "there will be another driver for Mercedes in place of Lewis Hamilton, who will move to Ferrari next year. The driver in question would be Carlos Sainz, according to what the Gazzetta understands from qualified sources. An "exchange" is therefore looming, despite being two distinct negotiations carried out at different times, so much so that Hamilton's hiring on the part of the Cavallino has already been made official, while that of Sainz on the part of Mercedes should take place later."
Mercedes would then win the race against time over Audi. Gazzetta also mentions the duration of Sainz's contract, which is two years. An option that would also give the Brackley team time to develop the young Italian talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli before promotion to F1.
