KNOCK-ON EFFECT FOR CARLOS SAINZ FUTURE DETAILED AFTER KEY AUDI DECISION – REPORT

After Nico Hulkenberg’s arrival at Sauber next year was confirmed, a report has claimed Audi are no longer pushing for a quick decision from Carlos Sainz over his future.

If correct, this would allow the current Ferrari driver to assess his options further before landing on a seat for next season, with Audi widely believed to be pursuing his signature from 2025 and beyond.

Carlos Sainz future: Report claims Audi now willing to wait for decision

A report from German publication Auto Motor und Sport claims that, following Hulkenberg’s signing on a multi-year deal from Haas for next season, with one half of Audi’s first Formula 1 line-up now complete, they are now willing to wait longer to hear on Sainz’s decision over his future – though AMuS claim Audi see Sainz and Hulkenberg as the “ideal pairing” moving forward.

Sainz has said himself he is in negotiations with multiple teams, and wants to pursue the best option for himself that can put him in race-winning machinery as soon as possible if he can.

He has been touted as one of the candidates to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, as well as a potential person in the frame to move to Red Bull next season, while a move to Audi would represent a longer-term vision that would put Sainz at the forefront of their plans to move towards the front of the grid.

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Sainz has kept his counsel when discussing the subject of his future and often refused to name names regarding the teams, but insisted he wants his next step after leaving Ferrari to be based on competitiveness.

That said, he added that other options are appealing to him too.

Addressing media in China about the different options in front of him, Sainz said: “I think it all depends on what they offer you and what kind of project they are offering you.

“As a driver I’m always going to try and look for the fastest option available, especially given the form I’m in. I think that if, given the right car and the right year, I can win races and be on the podium, like I’m proving this year, so that’s my number one priority as a driver – to win.

“This is always in my hardware and something that I always will look for, but there are for sure other very interesting medium term and long term options out there that I will consider and that I am considering.

“So every option for sure has its pluses or minuses, I will consider all of them but as I said before, the best thing is that they all of the options are still there.”

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2024-04-27T10:02:39Z dg43tfdfdgfd