Current Ferrari driver thought to be mulling offers from Williams and Audi/Sauber for 2025; Carlos Sainz says his mind is not yet made up; watch every session of Spanish GP live on Sky Sports F1, with qualifying on Saturday at 3pm and race on Sunday at 2pm
Thursday 20 June 2024 17:12, UK
Carlos Sainz says it is "time to make a decision" about his Formula 1 future - but admits he has not yet decided who he wants to drive for.
The Spaniard, who found out in February that he had lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton for next season, is thought to be mulling over offers from Williams and Sauber, who will be under the full control of Audi ahead of a rebrand in 2026.
While Sainz said he had no news to share on the eve of his home Spanish GP, he admitted that the time had come for him to imminently decide on who he was going to sign for.
"The latest is a decision will be taken very soon," said Sainz
"I don't want to wait any longer. It's getting to a point where it's taking space out of my head for quite a few weeks and months now.
"It's time to make a decision and the decision will be taken soon. Hopefully soon we will have things to talk about."
Although the three-time race winner is highly regarded in F1, Sainz's options for 2025 have seemingly distilled into a choice between two teams currently well down the grid, albeit Williams and Sauber each have big hopes of making major progress up the field in future seasons.
Red Bull opted to retain Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's team-mate on what was announced as an extended two-year term, while Mercedes look poised to replace Hamilton with 17-year-old rising F2 star Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Asked if he knew in his own mind here where he wanted to drive, Sainz replied: "No. I'm still not sure one way or another.
"It's still something I am discussing with my team and brainstorming. I need a couple of days back at home.
"I've been at home before this weekend but I had my head in the Spanish Grand Prix. It's been a hectic two weeks after Canada for me, so I haven't had time to sit down and take a decision. This is what I will target in the next few weeks."
Sainz is the key component in the driver market as his future will dictate where other drivers go in 2025 as eight other drivers have not confirmed they will be on the grid next year.
At first, it looked like he would join Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, but Williams have emerged as a serious option for the Spaniard and James Vowles made a public appeal for Sainz at the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month.
"Sainz is our No 1 target," Williams boss Vowles told Sky Sports F1.
"There's a reason why I left Mercedes to come here. This isn't the Williams of old. Having Sainz on our list shows we are prepared to have a driver line-up that I think will be one of the best on the grid, if it's achieved.
"We are investing tens, if not hundreds of millions back to where it was in terms of success. In the background, there were a number of really great signings that will slowly start edging out in the next few weeks and months."
Friday June 21
7.45am: F1 Academy Practice
8:50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Spanish GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1
Sunday June 23
7.45am: F1 Academy Race 2
9am: F3 Feature Race
10.30am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP reaction
Formula 1 heads back to Europe as the championship moves on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and the start of a triple-header. Watch every session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
