F1 Rumour: Carlos Sainz To Make Surprise Move Away From Ferrari
In a bold and intriguing rumour that surfaced last Saturday night, Swiss newspaper Blick reported that Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz might be taking his talents to Audi's new Formula 1 team starting in 2026.
Sainz, who is currently driving alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari and has big goals for his 2023 campaign, has struggled to keep up with his teammate's pace. Despite team chief Fred Vasseur's view that the drivers are equal, Leclerc is arguably the leading driver of the Maranello-based team and is widely considered to be the man who will bring Ferrari back to their glory days at the front of the grid, while Sainz has only been with the legendary Constructor for just over two seasons and has only managed to snag one race victory.
However, it seems that Sainz need not worry about the pressures of the Ferrari squad as Sauber CEO Andrea Seidl has put the Spaniard at the top of his list as a potential driver for Audi, according to recent rumours. If Sauber decides to undergo the Audi transformation, then they will be receiving a substantial injection of German funds that will allow them to build title-winning cars within three years if the team is to be believed.
We'll be very interested to see if Sainz makes the jump to Audi away from a team which currently has the potential to take home victories. After all, performance at the team won't be a sure thing. But is Sainz willing to gamble?