F1 legend highlights two options for AXED star

The grid for the 2025 season in Formula One is now over halfway full - and the options for Carlos Sainz are beginning to dwindle.

The Spainard is without a drive for next season after it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would be taking his place at Ferrari and partner Charles Leclerc.

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The 29-year-old has seemingly been a target for many teams up and down the paddock, and with one win to his name so far in 2024, he has been linked with Ferrari’s rivals Red Bull and Mercedes.

However, with Sergio Perez signing a new two-year deal to stay at Red Bull and Mercedes eyeing young sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the future, a move to these teams for Sainz has become increasingly unlikely.

Are Audi and Williams Sainz' only options?

Sainz has been heavily tipped to join Audi for when they join the sport in 2026, and speaking during FP1 for the Canadian Grand Prix, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes the German team and Williams are his two options.

“Sainz, I have the impression that he just waited too long on something that he knew was not going to happen,” he said.

“There is no way the Red Bull seat would open. There’s been too much chaos over the winter, they need stability.

“Christian Horner’s done a good job of resettling the team now, keeping Max happy because they’re not winning anymore, so they really need to get the ball rolling and you don’t come and change in a driver that would come in the team saying: ‘I’m here to beat Max.’ That just wouldn’t work.

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“Perez knows his place now. He knows he’s lucky to still be there, he knows that he’s in the shadow of Max and he will remain there. He’s like Barrichello or Irvine at Ferrari at that time. He knows his position, the team needs that, so why not?

“Then you get the Mercedes. Sainz won’t do a one-year-deal. Mercedes want Antonelli in their car in 2026, so they want Antonelli somewhere else, to be groomed, to be ready for the big team. So that’s an awkward situation for a driver like Sainz.

Now Audi, if you get a five-year-contract with Audi, why not? It gives you time to build, the team will build. The factory, well the wind tunnel is amazing but the factory still needs to be worked on, but that could be a prospect.

“If not, Williams is on the way up, so that’s not a bad place.”

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