Carlos Sainz has expressed that he has "no idea" which Formula 1 team he will be signing with for 2025.
But it won't be a green Aston Martin, as Fernando Alonso opts out of the 'silly season'. Having recommitted to Aston Martin for the upcoming year and the beginning of the new regulations in 2026, the 42-year-old Alonso will eventually be reunited with works Honda engines.
With his latest agreement, Alonso seems to have also secured a role as a brand ambassador for Aston Martin for his career after racing, following failed discussions with various teams, including Mercedes and Red Bull.
"Probably yes," Alonso confirmed when inquired about a potential non-driving eventual role with the Silverstone-based squad. "But I don't know when I'm going to stop driving. If I continue for many years, I may reach the contract (end) date. To commit to a one-year project didn't make sense for me. I felt more loved at Aston Martin," Alonso revealed to the media on Thursday.
"The other conversations were light and did not lead me to conclusions, or were taking more time. At Aston there was a clear desire to work together."
Sainz, meanwhile, maintains only a slim chance at securing a position with either Red Bull or Mercedes, though a future with Audi-owned Sauber seems increasingly plausible for the 29-year-old.
"Carlos is the one who is wanted right now," Spanish F1 commentator Antonio Lobato told DAZN. "Any team wants him, so now it's Carlos' decision to choose the best team from among them."
Andy Soucek, a former Spanish racing driver, commented to Marca, "He deserves a place in a leading team and the entire grid knows it. And I have no doubt that it will be so."
Nevertheless, there is no haste from Red Bull and Mercedes. "Everyone is waiting to see what Max Verstappen does," speculated Michael Schmidt, a renowned journalist for Auto Motor und Sport.
In contrast, Audi-Sauber is looking to finalize its driving lineup in the coming days, aligning with Sainz's recent statements about accelerating his decision-making process.
Schmidt also mentioned that Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Haas's Nico Hulkenberg are being considered for Sauber.
Speaking to Sky Italia, Sainz stated, "I have no idea where I will be in 2025. At the moment I still have nothing to say but obviously it doesn't just depend on me but also the other teams. They know that I'm available. Let's see what will happen."
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, reveals that his young protégé, Kimi Antonelli, is "one of the favourites" to take over from Lewis Hamilton.
"Some of the other top drivers are going to make a decision on what to do soon," he noted, "but there's a feeling that points me in a direction not to take the decision too quickly."
