Possible Destinations: Where Could Carlos Sainz Go Next?

A mere 16 days following appendix surgery, Carlos Sainz Jr. shocked everyone by winning the Australian Grand Prix, securing his third Grand Prix victory for Scuderia Ferrari. He followed up this win with another strong performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, coming in third on the podium. It is interesting to note that Sainz’ strong start to the 2024 season is at a time when he is one of many drivers who will be out of contract at the end of the season. This has caused many observers of Formula 1 to question how the Spaniard could be out of a seat come the end of the season. Surely with his strong and consistent performance throughout his time in Formula 1, he will unquestionably have a Formula 1 seat next season. The bigger question that has generated an immense amount of speculation and buzz is which team Sainz will drive for next season. 

Here are 4 potential teams that could sign Carlos Sainz Jr. 

Red Bull Racing 

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing, has confirmed he has not ruled out Sainz to be the new driving partner in 2025 to current World Champion Max Verstappen. With Sergio Perez’ streak of poor performances in 2023, many expected Perez to be dropped by Red Bull Racing’ due to the team’s very high standards for their drivers and their history of letting drivers go before their contracts end. Luckily for the Mexican, he retained his seat for the 2024 season, and so far Perez has put in good performances apart from his P8 finish at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.  

Another name that has also been a front-runner for replacing Perez is former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo, unfortunately for Ricciardo, he has been struggling to compete his Visa Cash App RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda this season, with the Australian only besting the Japanese driver at the Miami Sprint Race.  

Verstappen and Sainz also have prior experience as teammates during their time at Scuderia Torro Rosso (now known as Visa Cash App RB), in 2015, as well as part of the 2016 season prior to Verstappen’s move to Red Bull Racing.  

Mercedes  

At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, during which Sainz was sidelined due to appendix surgery, there were several reports that Sainz’ manager was seen in the Mercedes hospitality area with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, creating speculation that a move to Mercedes may be in the cards for Sainz. If Mercedes were able to secure Sainz for 2025, he could be an ideal replacement for Lewis Hamilton who will depart the team at the end of 2024 to join Scuderia Ferrari. Sainz has been a consistently strong driver in Formula 1, and with other top drivers like Leclerc, Verstappen, and Norris being tied down to long-term contracts, Sainz may represent the best candidate from the current pool of available drivers. Mercedes have continued to be tight-lipped surrounding their decision to replace Hamilton, as Team Principal Toto Wolff also wants to see how Mercedes junior driver Kimi Antonelli fairs in Formula 2 before making any decisions.  

Kick Sauber (Audi) 

As Kick Sauber transitions to Audi in 2026, the German automotive brand is looking for a top driver to represent and lead their newly formed Formula 1 team alongside German driver Nico Hulkenberg. According to reports, Audi have offered Sainz a very lucrative contract, which Christian Horner and Helmut Marko say Red Bull cannot compete with. Sauber Motorsport CEO, Andreas Seidl, has worked with Sainz previously during his time as Team Principal of McLaren Racing, and could be a key figure in luring Sainz to the new team. A move to Audi, however, is risky as it is not guaranteed the team will be faced with immediate success. 

Aston Martin 

With Fernando Alonso re-signing with Aston Martin for a 2-year deal, the Silverstone-based team could look to add Sainz to their roster and have an all-Spanish driver line up for 2025. While the addition of Sainz to Aston Martin would undoubtedly boost the team’s chances to progress up the field, it is an unlikely prospect with team owner Lawernce Stroll wanting his son Lance to remain as Alonso’s teammate.