Huge development in Carlos Sainz’s future - a surprise F1 team in advanced talks

Carlos Sainz is reportedly in advanced talks with Williams.

The Ferrari driver will be replaced in the 2025 F1 driver line-up by Lewis Hamilton and has been mulling over his next move for weeks.

However, at this weekend’s F1 Monaco Grand Prix, Autosport report that Williams have emerged as a serious contender to lure Sainz.

Williams have already secured the future of their star driver Alex Albon so adding Sainz would be a major coup.

The engine partnership that Williams have in place with Mercedes is thought to be a carrot dangled by the F1 team.

Rumours in the paddock suggest that Mercedes’ engine, under the new 2026 regulations, will be powerful and customers Williams would benefit from that.

The options that were thought to be on the table for Sainz are dwindling.

He could still move to Sauber in 2025, before that team evolves into Audi a year later.

It is thought that German powerhouses Audi, who have already signed Nico Hulkenberg from Haas for next year, have given Sainz a strict deadline to force a decision.

But other alternatives have slipped away.

Aston Martin renewed their alliance with Fernando Alonso, Red Bull look increasingly like sticking with Sergio Perez for another season.

Mercedes have a vacancy to replace Hamilton but Toto Wolff made it clear that he won’t sign up Sainz quickly, because he prefers to wait, presumably for Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Sainz suggested in Monaco that his situation is under control.

“Behind the scenes I know more,” he said.

“I’m just going to put all the options on the table and take the right decision, I can just tell you just once I make my mind up everything will happen very quickly and it’s all about putting everything together I feel like I need on my next new contract.”