Sainz to Williams

[Dare]

I'm not too sure this is the best move for Carlos.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-locked-in-major-career-reveal-claims-f1-presenter

[John S]

Think Williams makes more sense than Audi in the shorter term. All big teams shut off to Carlos for various reasons so he needs to figure out next best available for 26 & 27.

Audi has to get both engine & chassis right to be anywhere in 26/27 where as Williams will have Merc engines, and who would bet against Merc acing it again. Add to this an improving factory with lots of investment at Williams and they should be a mid grid, or better, team by then.
Audi will probably not come on stronger, if ever, until 3rd or 4th year (28/29)

We can't assume all teams will be in same order on grid come 26, some will move forward & some backwards, guessing right is a tricky business.

I reckon Carlos choice over seat is similar to a spinning car in front of you on track, you hold your line as one in trouble will probably not be there when you arrive on the scene - but it's not guaranteed. 

[rmassart]

I reckon Carlos choice over seat is similar to a spinning car in front of you on track, you hold your line as one in trouble will probably not be there when you arrive on the scene - but it's not guaranteed. 

As Hulkenberg found out in Monaco :-)  As Perez and Magnussen came together, he could either slam on the breaks or accelerate past them and hope. He chose the latter, but didn't quite make it.

[Willy]

I agree with John.
With Williams Carlos will at least have a seat for the foreseeable future and can then make a better(?) move from there when the time comes. If he sits at home until a great seat comes up, he will have missed it.

[cosworth151]

I'm sure it's not his dream ride but it's better than no ride at all.

[Jericoke]

We've all seen struggling teams convince top talent that 'the future is now'.  Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong.

That's why we run the races, and part of what makes the sport so exciting!

[Alianora La Canta]

I'm not sure Audi's on the table for Sainz any more.

The logical seat at Audi for him was the one Hulkenberg is going to take from 2025. That's the experienced seat where people with knowledge of how successful teams work and how to uphold corporate honour at marketing events needed to be. Sainz could have done all that. However, he spent so long telling everyone his position was strong that Audi stopped waiting. I suspect but cannot prove they also took a lower bid.

Yes, Sainz could fight for the other Audi seat. However, he's not just fighting with experienced drivers for it, but also Zhou, Sargeant, whoever comes off worst in the Alpine intra-team tussle (maybe both if the management doesn't improve), whoever wins the F2 championship… He won't get a good contract, and may not be meaningfully in the frame at all.

At this point, I think Carlos' F1 options are, in order of how good his chances are if pursuing them (lowest to highest):

- the second Mercedes (if Antonelli has a mid-season downturn in form and doesn't qualify for a Superlicence, and Verstappen stays away)
- Red Bull (if Horner wins the management tussle there and Verstappen quits for Mercedes or Audi)
- Williams (if Albon gets a promotion)
- Alpine (a seat is probably there if he wants an easy excuse for any underperformances, although a precedent of not following orders he thinks are ridiculous means this isn't a certain seat either. Alpine has two drivers who can do that already!)
- Haas (probably his safest option as he'd fit right in, would be a performance upgrade on both current drivers and has some experience in tutoring likely team-mate Ollie Bearman. Also his slowest option bar Alpine).

I think Ferrari, McLaren, RB, Audi and Aston Martin are closed to Carlos for various reasons.

[Dare]

With Briatore in talks with Newey about a return to Alpine i'd try and get that Alpine drive. If they get Newey

[John S]

Nice to see Briatore is still as full of BS as ever. 

Adrian is a true racer at heart not a dead stone cheat. 

[Dare]

I guess people forgot about Alonso was ok with the Singapore fix