F1 legend Gerhard Berger has expressed regret that Carlos Sainz has been excluded from all "good" teams for the 2025 season.
During the Montreal weekend, it became apparent that the 29-year-old Spanish driver, having been let go by Ferrari in favor of Lewis Hamilton for 2025, now only has the choice between Williams and the Sauber-owned Audi team.
There were even rumors in Canada, which were denied, suggesting that Sainz might have already secured a deal with Williams for 2025 and 2026, prompting team boss James Vowles to openly court the three-time Grand Prix winner.
"Obviously I appreciate James' interest and his kind words towards me," Sainz acknowledged. "The same can be said for how I feel about him and his team."
"But the reality is that I haven't decided where I'm going next year because, as I already said, I'm too focused on the current race weekends at the moment. I am fighting for podiums or wins from weekend to weekend, so it's very difficult to think about the future when you have important weekends waiting for you all the time," he continued.
"I will need some time to sit down with my management and talk things over with them so that I can decide where to go. But at the moment, nothing has been decided," Sainz insisted.
Berger, a former Ferrari driver, voiced his sympathy for Sainz's situation.
"It's a real shame," he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "I feel a bit sorry for him because he's pretty much on the same level as (Charles) Leclerc."
"But Ferrari has decided on Hamilton, who is supposed to bring fresh dynamism. It's true that Lewis will certainly bring along one or two important engineers that Ferrari needs, which could be Adrian Newey, among others."
Regarding Sainz's dilemma between Williams and Sauber, Berger commented, "It's extremely hard for him when there isn't really a good door open at the moment."
He acknowledged that Sauber's future looks promising with Audi's involvement but cautioned that it might take years before Sainz could see any real benefits.
"A German premium manufacturer in Formula 1 is an absolute asset," Berger remarked. "But you shouldn't underestimate the entry into the highest motorsport class. It takes patience and few mistakes."
"I remember Red Bull," he added. "I was close to them at the time and, despite having Adrian Newey and making a few mistakes, it took them six years to become a winning team."
