F1 News: F1 Insider Warns Carlos Sainz About Moving To Audi - Can't "Tread Water" For 2027
Sky F1 presenter and former-driver Martin Brundle has advised Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz against considering a move to Audi when it assumes control of the Sauber Stake F1 team in 2026. Brundle suggests that Sainz should explore alternative options with top teams like Mercedes, Aston Martin, or even contemplate a return to Red Bull if possible.
Key Takeaways:
- Martin Brundle advises Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz to avoid moving to Audi when it assumes control of Sauber Stake F1 in 2026 and suggests exploring options with top teams like Mercedes, Aston Martin, or a return to Red Bull.
- Lewis Hamilton's decision to join Ferrari next year has stirred the F1 driver market even before the current season began. Sainz, with a strong position in the market, is linked to teams like Mercedes and Red Bull.
- Rumors suggest Sainz may negotiate with Audi for a 2026 move, but Brundle expresses concerns about Audi's potential entry in 2027, recommending Sainz prioritize teams like Mercedes, Aston Martin, or Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton, who revealed his decision to join Ferrari last month, will replace Sainz next year, causing a stir in the F1 community. This move has significantly impacted the driver market, shaking things up even before the current season began.
Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race last year. Thus, he ranks pretty high in the driver market. He was linked to teams such as Mercedes and Red Bull, given that Hamilton's seat remains unoccupied after the 2024 season and Sergio Perez's contract with the Milton Keynes outfit expires at the same time.
There have been rumors about Sainz engaging in talks with Audi, which is preparing to enter F1 under the new regulations in 2026. These speculations stem from his father's connections with the team following his Dakar Rally victory for them. However, Brundle expresses reservations about Audi's potential entry as late as 2027, finding it less favorable. Speaking to Sky F1, he said:
“He’s 29 years old, he can’t afford to go and tread water for a team that really is saying it’s 2027 before we’re ready to go properly.
“No, no, no, I don’t think that is his next step at all. He’s got to be looking at Mercedes or an Aston [Martin] or going back to Red Bull.”
Brundle also insisted that Sainz should place himself ahead by adopting a natural driving attitude rather than try and prove himself to others in his last season with the Maranello outfit. He added:
“I think in a way he can be a free spirit and just let his natural talents flow now.
“He’s driving for a team Carlos to an extent, but being the team player that he is, he was straight back in and going, ‘I’m a Ferrari man until the last lap of the last race’ sort of thing.
“But I think sometimes you know, when the pressure comes off like that, and you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain, and I had it myself in my own career a couple, three times, you just drive more naturally, more freely, more easily.”