Carlos Sainz admitted ahead of the Spanish GP that he doesn’t want to wait too long before deciding what team he will drive for next season.
His words highlight that the Spaniard will probably announce his decision even before the summer break. Still not knowing what team he will join in 2025 is not something that Sainz likes, and even though he hasn’t decided yet, he plans to do so “very soon”.
“The latest is that a decision will be taken very soon. I don’t want to wait any longer,” Sainz said.
“I think it’s getting to a point where it’s obviously taking space out of my head for quite a few weeks and months, and I think it’s obviously time to make a decision.
“I’m still not sure one way or another, it’s still something that I’m discussing with my team and brainstorming.
“It’s been a very hectic few couples of weeks after Canada for me. So I haven’t had time to really sit down and take a decision. And this is what I will target in the next few weeks.”
Of course, for a Formula 1 driver, being able to make a decision based on the long term is key. However, it is not always that simple, and that’s the difficulty that Sainz is facing right now.
The Spaniard admitted that he doesn’t know which will be the fastest team in 2026 when the new regulations will debut. There are many factors to consider, and it’s not a choice that can be made easily and in a short period of time, and that is why it’s taking so long for him to decide.
“I think 2026, guessing now in 2024 who’s going to be performing better, it’s almost impossible.
“I used the term ‘a bit of a lottery’, or a ‘coin toss’ to see who’s going to be quicker in ’26, given that the regulation is so different.
“So 2025 becomes important at that stage if I cannot predict ’26, and I don’t know who’s going to be performing better.
“But it is also the long term. It is also trying to understand the power unit side. It’s trying to understand the team dynamics. Uh, all these factors come into play when taking a decision.
“That’s why it’s taking long, and it’s taking time for me to find some time within myself to take the decision.”