What are the best F1 seat options for Carlos Sainz Jr. next season?

Motorsports are hugely popular all over the world, and Formula One attracts a passionate following. The 2024 season is showing why, and is turning out to be another enthralling edition in the race for the championship. But the race for a new team for next season is even more important to Carlos Sainz Jr.

With the action having started in Bahrain during March and set to run until Abu Dhabi towards the end of the year. Max Verstappen has already built up a decent lead in the drivers’ standings.

Carlos Sainz Jr. is one driver chasing Verstappen hard this campaign, and has been in good form himself overall. His superb first place in the Australian Grand Prix naturally stands out, but third places in Bahrain, Japan and Monaco are also impressive. Although he might already be too far behind the current leader to make a serious bid for the title, Sainz Jr’s form this season has shown what a fine driver he is. Despite this, the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari for 2025 means he’s hunting for a new team to join.

But what might be his best options to consider?

Audi

Formula One is not only a great spectator sport but also something people like to bet on. A quick look at the latest odds for where Sainz Jr might end up next season shows that Audi are the most favored option. Click here to find out more on the latest Formula One odds and the best sports betting sites to view them at.

A potential move is not hard to understand because Audi has always seemed the most obvious next step for this driver. He and his family have close links with them already and it’s thought Sainz Jr. is attracted by the long-term contract on offer.

He may also like the challenge of moving to a new Formula One team and helping them to taste success. Experienced driver Nico Hülkenberg has already been confirmed for Audi in 2025 and this may also make it a more tempting choice for Sainz Jr. The only real sticking point is if the Spaniard feels the team will not be competitive in the coming season – he will not want to waste years of his career waiting for this to change, just when he is hitting peak performance levels.

Williams

Another option for Sainz Jr. in terms of a seat for next season could be Williams. This is a move that has been consistently rumored to have a good chance of happening and is said to be under serious consideration from the Spanish driver’s camp.

Boss James Vowles has breathed new ambition back into the team and this has already seen Alex Albon joining Williams. If he can also successfully sell his Formula One dream to Sainz Jr., the Spaniard may feel confident enough to join as well. The Mercedes power unit set to be coming online for Williams could be another major draw and give Sainz Jr. enough trust to sign on the dotted line.

Mercedes

It’s without doubt that Mercedes have had a few tricky years and right now are not quite the team they once were. They still remain one of the premier brands in Formula One, though, and are a high-profile team to drive for. In addition, they have enough resources to be truly competitive at the top end of the grid, and new engine regulations looming on the horizon could benefit them greatly.

This all makes a move to Mercedes one that has plenty of appeal and is something that Sainz Jr. could find hard to resist. A move here would also see the Spanish driver join a team with genuine title credentials and give him a realistic shot of finally landing that elusive Formula One championship.

Are there are other F1 teams Sainz Jr. could move too?

Although the three teams discussed here seem the best options for this driver for next season, they are not the only teams he could choose. There are other options like Alpine or Haas – but you may struggle to see this driver wanting to move so far down the pecking order.

For example, taking a seat at Alpine in 2025 would be a major step down after being in such great form so far for the iconic Ferrari brand in 2024. You also have to question whether the lesser Formula One sides can even afford Sainz Jr. He is reportedly on $12 million per season at Ferrari and would need to take a drastic pay cut to drive for a team like Haas.

Audi or Williams for Sainz Jr. in 2025

Rumors are strong within Formula One that Sainz Jr. will choose between Audi or Williams for his drive next year. With Audi apparently offering a longer-term contract, but Williams offering a more attractive package overall, it will be interesting to see where he heads