Carlos Sainz gives “five-year” hint amid “stressful” talks over next F1 drive

Carlos Sainz has admitted that deciding his F1 future is “stressful” - but insists he will make a decision based on the long-term.

The Ferrari driver knows he will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton but the rest of the 2025 F1 driver line-up is awaiting Sainz’s next move.

Williams, Sauber and Alpine are thought to be the teams in the mix to land his signature.

Sainz has conceded that his decision is somewhat based on the unknowns of how an F1 team will perform into the new engine era of 2026 and beyond.

“There’s a bit of guessing, a bit of luck, a bit of trying to educate yourself on what is happening around in Formula One,” he said at Silverstone, where Crash.net are in the paddock for the F1 British Grand Prix.

“What I’ve thought about is don’t judge the move in the short-term or in the next few races or in the next year.

“You always need to see and criticise or analyse a driver’s move with perspective in time. 

“Was this the right move for Carlos in five years’ time or not?

“That’s why I think I’m going to take [all of the] time possible to make such an important decision because it involves the outcome of the next few years of my life so I think it is valid to give myself the time.”

Options at Mercedes, Red Bull and Aston Martin evaporated over the past few months.

Mercedes are making a decision later this year and are prioritising Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Red Bull and Aston Martin handed new deals to Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso respectively.

Sainz admitted a Silverstone that negotiations to solve his future are distracting.

“Honestly, quite a lot,” he said. “I’m not going to lie.

“Monday to Thursdays before I get to the track there’s a lot of phone calls, a lot of time spent on the phone, meetings with my management team.

“But also the teams I’m talking to, trying to understand and trying to have a full picture of the situation.

“It’s probably quite stressful and time consuming instead of maybe being able to fully disconnect and recharge.

“Obviously your mind is still somewhere else and thinking about your future and wondering what it will be. So not an ideal situation.

“At the same time when I arrive on Thursday I feel like I’m able to perform as soon as I get into an engineering meeting.

“As soon as I put the helmet on I feel 100 percent in the car. I think the Austria weekend kind of proves that I’m still at a high level and performing at one of my best seasons in Formula One.

“I believe there’s always more performance in being in a stable contract situation than being where I am at now, so I’m never going to deny myself that.”