Sainz admits choosing a team for 2025 ’not easy’

Carlos Sainz admits deciding about his next move in Formula 1 is "not easy".

The Spaniard says he was initially upset about being excluded from Ferrari’s plans for 2025 and beyond, adding: "But I obviously understand the decision.

"The opportunity to sign a seven-time world champion and what that can entail is attractive to the team," he told GQ. "That’s why, when I’ve looked at it in a reflective way, it hasn’t hurt me so much.

"If someone has to replace me, I’d rather it be him."

However, 29-year-old Sainz admits that he doesn’t actually think Lewis Hamilton is better than him.

"Honestly, I don’t think so. However, if you ask the other 18 drivers this question, they would answer the same," he added.

The teams he is currently negotiating with, and some of the drivers who are waiting for his decision, are reportedly getting impatient the process is taking so long.

Recent rumours suggest Williams boss James Vowles, for instance, is not willing to wait any longer for Sainz. "Williams is a super-emblematic team in Formula 1," Sainz insists.

"Yes, it’s one of the few teams I haven’t been to yet - Red Bull Racing too, Mercedes, too, there are two or three teams that I haven’t been to yet that I might go to in the future, I don’t know when to be honest.

"The future still seems to be quite uncertain, so not even I know, to give you an idea," Sainz added. "What I do know is that I have been in five different teams in these ten years, and I have very good memories of each team I have been in and I know that if tomorrow the opportunity arises to return to any of these teams, then I can go back."

One of those teams is Alpine, formerly Renault, who have made Sainz a solid offer for 2025 and beyond. He is rumoured to have rejected Audi-owned Sauber.

He admits it is so difficult to make his decision because the more competitive teams can perhaps only offer him shorter deals - while ambitious projects that are currently less competitive can offer longer contracts.

"I would say that both are equally important - having a competitive car as soon as possible and finding a project that gives me the stability and motivation to see that it has the potential for me to lead that team to be world champions one day," Sainz said.

"I’m trying to find the balance between the best of both worlds, and that’s why it’s not easy, because it’s a very important decision for my sporting career, for my future, and that’s why the decision is taking so long, also taking into account that things change every day," he added.

There’s almost no doubt that Sainz’s ’plan A’ is to wait just long enough for a vacancy to emerge at a truly top team - like Mercedes or Red Bull.

1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve sees a potential opportunity for Sainz at the latter outfit.

"In the Red Bull family right now, there is no suitable replacement for Sergio Perez," he said.

"Yuki Tsunoda is still a volatile driver, he is a bit more controlled than in the past but he is still inconsistent," said the Canadian. "Liam Lawson doesn’t have the experience to replace him - we do not know if he can take that step.

"My best bet to replace Perez is Carlos Sainz," Villeneuve concluded.