Lewis Hamilton will join the Scuderia Ferrari in 2025, with Carlos Sainz being left without a seat. At least, that’s what recent rumors suggest. So, what will be Sainz’s future in F1?
The Spaniard signed a deal with Ferrari in 2022 that linked him with the team until 2024. If Ferrari talked about a deal extension for Charles Leclerc -which arrived a few days ago- it wasn’t the same for Sainz. No one mentioned a possible contract renewal, and there wasn’t even a single rumor.
Despite that, many “tifosi” wanted the Spaniard to stay as he’s been consistent since he joined the team, and he also won the only race for the Scuderia in 2023. Honestly, no one expected Ferrari not to sign him, at least for another season before the regulation changes will come into force in 2026.
A twist of events
However, Formula 1 taught us always to expect the unexpected. And that’s what happened. Rumors started circulating on social media about Hamilton possibly joining Ferrari in 2025. The sources were pretty reliable, but no official announcement was made.
Despite that, the deal with Hamilton seems 99% done, and only the confirmation is missing. So now, what’s going to happen for Sainz?
He’s been left without a team, and even though we cannot predict how the F1 silly season will pan out, here’s what we think his future could look like.
Sainz’s future possibilities
Carlos Sainz’s father drove for Audi in the 2024 Dakar Rally back in January. After winning the competition, he talked about how great Audi is and that he believes it will be successful in Formula 1, too. During the interview, he also hinted at possible talks between his son Carlos and the newcomers.
“It makes sense at Carlos’ house to talk about what Audi can get done, all the more so because I am a member of that Audi family,” Carlos Sainz Sr. said.
Of course, this doesn’t mean anything, but at the same time, a deal with Audi could be Sainz’s only solution to remain in Formula 1. The Spaniard might have two options: either take a sabbatical year in 2025 and maybe compete in the Dakar with -or against- his father or join the Stake F1 team one year before 2026. That way, he could get used to the new outfit and try to be successful when the new rules come into play.
Should the rumors be confirmed, Sainz would find himself in a tricky situation where he would need to spend an entire season with a team that has already signed another driver to replace him.
Another more difficult scenario for the Spaniard would be Hamilton joining Ferrari in 2024. Some rumors even speculated about this possibility, even if it seems way tougher to accomplish. Should this really happen, Sainz would need to find a team before the season starts in a month. Such a move by Ferrari would create even more chaos in the drivers’ market, with a vacant seat opening up at Mercedes.
Update: The news have been confirmed by Mercedes that Lewis Hamilton will depart the team in 2025.