Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes to Maranello to partner Charles Leclerc means Sainz will be booted from the Italian outfit, with not many top-team options available to him due to drivers being tied down to long-term deals.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked to Audi when they rebrand from Sauber and enter the sport in 2026.
But it seems that he has another potential offer on the table and it hints to a possible move away from the world of F1.
It is not uncommon for F1 drivers to venture into rallying either as a break from the sport or when they retire, with notable participants including Kimi Raikkonen and Robert Kubica.
It also makes sense with his father, Carlos Sainz Snr, being a two-time World Rally champion in 1990 and 1992 and most recently winning the Dakar Rally this year for a fourth time.
Hyundai have had great success in the World Rally Championship, finishing second in 2023 behind Toyota, with driver Thierry Neuville winning two races and finishing third in the drivers’ standings.