The fate of Carlos Sainz, who will leave Ferrari at the end of 2024, seemed linked to the choice between Williams and the future Audi, now Sauber. But Alpine also seems to have joined the race for the Spaniard. The French team, under the control of the Renault group, has recently appointed Flavio Briatore as special advisor who met Sainz’s entourage in the Montmelò paddock (including the Ferrari driver’s father, Sainz Sr.) making a contractual offer for the Spanish.
the best choice
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And so an option that until a few months ago seemed unattractive could now prove particularly advantageous for Carlos. Leaving aside for a moment the economic aspects (but it is rumored that Alpine is willing to make a significant investment in order to secure Sainz), the improvements of the French team from a sporting point of view are evident. In Spain Gasly and Ocon brought both A524s to points, repeating the double top 10 achieved in Canada. A remarkable progression for a car that started the 2024 world championship very last in the class. Different story for Sauber and Williams. The Swiss team, awaiting the entry of Audi, is the only one not to have obtained even a championship point, with Zhou’s eleventh place in Bahrain as the best result. But the ranking doesn’t even smile on Williams: only two points have been won by the English team (from Albon to Monaco) and the double retirement in the Canadian GP has now been added to the double placing outside the points in Spain, with Albon 18th and Sargeant 20th.
optics 2026
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Moving our gaze now to the future and, in particular, to the regulatory revolution of 2026, the scenario is destined to be very different. Among the main unknowns arising from the new rules are the changes to the current Power Units. From this perspective, Williams has the safest option, being tied to Mercedes for the supply of engines. A path that Alpine also seems intent on following, concluding its experience as a manufacturer and becoming a customer team of the Germans. Different story for Audi, which will abandon the Ferrari PU used by Sauber and debut with its own engine. A significant unknown, especially considering the difficulties in creating the Power Units also encountered by other teams, including Alpine itself.
future perspectives
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However, the Ingolstadt team forcefully returns to contention in terms of future prospects. The headquarters of the four rings has never made a secret that Formula 1 represents a crucial investment in the future plans of the Volkswagen group which aspires to make its team a top team. Proclamations which, if compared with the present, clash with the lack of competitiveness of Sauber, whose staff will also be largely employed in Audi. With this in mind, the team has announced a massive recruitment program of around 300 people aimed at strengthening its staff, to which has also been added the hiring of former McLaren James Key as technical director.
resources
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A similar situation also applies to Alpine. In the intentions of Luca De Meo, head of the Renault group, Briatore’s arrival represents the first step towards the “reconstruction” of a team which has so far suffered from significant internal difficulties. Only three months ago the tandem made up of Matt Harman and Dirk de Beer, respectively the team’s technical director and head of aerodynamics, resigned, leaving a significant technical void which the team partially filled by signing ex-Ferrari player David Sanchez. Despite rumors of a partial disinterest from the program, as with Audi, F1 still plays an important role in Renault’s future plans and the French group intends to continue investing in it continuously. An aspect that Sainz would not find in Williams: the Grove team, despite the entry of the Dorilton Capital fund as majority shareholder, does not have the financial support enjoyed by Audi and Alpine, making the option less attractive for Carlos if he Spaniard decides to join the team on a long-term basis.
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the contractual aspect
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And precisely the contractual aspect represents another decisive issue for the choice of the Madrilenian. Audi sees Sainz as the driver to focus on in the future, entrusting him with the role of first driver for the years to come. And if Alpine also seems ready to offer Carlos a multi-year contract, despite not being able to guarantee him the leading role in the team, Williams instead represents the most “agile” option for Sainz Sr.’s son. The Spaniard could, in fact, decide to tie up with the English team for just one year, possibly signing a contract with 1+1 for 2026. Doing so would guarantee the possibility of signing for a top team in view of the regulatory revolution in the event of changed market scenarios. Various voices from the paddock wanted an announcement on the Spaniard’s future already in Barcelona but for the moment all is silent. Who knows whether the addition of Alpine, a team that Carlos already knows having raced for Renault in 2018, in what appears to be a three-way race to grab the Ferrari driver, has induced the driver and his entourage to take time for a few further reflection in a scenario that is now even more complex.
