Sainz sets “before the start of next year” deadline for new Ferrari F1 deal

Sainz’s current Ferrari deal runs out at the end of 2024, with speculation rife about who will be driving for the team.

The Spaniard has been linked with Audi in recent months, while his current team - Ferrari - have been rumoured to be interested in signing Lewis Hamilton.

Sainz is keen for everything to be planned out well in advance of his contract expiring.

“Obviously I don’t want to reveal what my strategies are in terms of contractual negotiations because it’s something that I never disclose,” he said.

“But if you heard me on interviews in the past, I’ve always said I like going into an F1 season knowing where I’m going to race the year after because I went through that experience in Renault and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Everything planned out, that would be [the] target.

“Not necessarily this year, but before the start of next year or during the start of next year.”

Sainz described the current speculation about Ferrari’s driver line-up as typical silly season speculation.

“Honestly, no, because at the end I feel like I don’t think I need to; I know at this time of the year there is always these kinds of rumours, it’s silly season time,” he added.

“A week and a half ago I was going to Audi, one week ago Charles was going to Mercedes, now Lewis is coming to Ferrari.

“It’s the story of our lives when it comes to this time of the year. I’ve been long enough in F1, more than eight years, to know that it’s that time of the year.”