Sainz's rivals frustrated over driver market standstill · RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr’s rivals say its “obscure” why he’s taking so lengthy to determine which staff to drive for subsequent yr.

The Ferrari driver admitted the deliberations over his vacation spot for 2025 are taking on a variety of his time exterior of race weekends.

Sainz has identified since February he’ll lose his Ferrari drive to Lewis Hamilton subsequent yr. He’s believed to be contemplating Williams, Alpine and Sauber as potential locations subsequent yr. The latter will grow to be Audi’s works groups in 2025.

He mentioned the negotiations are taking on “rather a lot” of his time between races. The British Grand Prix is the third occasion on consecutive weekends.

“Mondays to Thursday, earlier than I arrive to the observe, there’s a variety of telephone calls, a variety of time spent on the telephone, conferences with my administration staff but in addition with the groups that I’m speaking to, attempting to know and attempting to have a full image of the scenario,” Sainz informed media together with RaceFans right now. “And it’s most likely fairly traumatic and time consuming.

“As an alternative of possibly having the ability to absolutely disconnect and recharge, clearly your thoughts remains to be elsewhere and desirous about your future and questioning what is going to or not it’s? So not an excellent scenario.

“On the similar time, once I arrive on Thursday I really feel like I’m capable of carry out as quickly as I get into an engineering assembly. As quickly as I put the helmet on, I really feel 100% within the automobile. And I believe the Austria weekend sort of proves that I’m nonetheless at a really excessive stage and acting at one in all my greatest seasons in Formulation 1.

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“However as I’ve all the time mentioned, I’m not going to be a hypocrite, I imagine there’s all the time extra efficiency in being in a secure contract scenario than being the place I’m at now. So I’m by no means going to disclaim myself on that [which] I’ve mentioned all the time.”

Right now Haas confirmed Oliver Bearman will be part of them as a brand new driver final yr, which suggests a minimum of one member of the present subject will lose their seat on the finish of the yr. A number of groups are believed to be ready for Sainz to determine his subsequent transfer earlier than committing to their line-up for subsequent yr.

Sainz added he’s “determined to not discuss any extra about my future till I take the choice.”

Zhou Guanyu, one of many drivers who’s and not using a contract for subsequent yr, is mystified why Sainz it taking so lengthy to make his thoughts up.

“It’s obscure simply because it’s not that tough to make his determination,” mentioned the Sauber driver. “You’re not likely making a call of a staff possibly combating for a world championship, you’re making a call between, let’s say, mid-running groups, relies upon the place you need to head off. So I don’t know what he’s pondering, however we’re simply ready for him nothing extra.”

Zhou, who’s in his third season of F1, mentioned having to attend this lengthy to find whether or not he could have a drive subsequent yr was “not one thing I anticipated.”

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“I really feel like he’s holding up, after all, everybody’s determination. However at some stage, I don’t suppose that is [just] the drivers. I believe the staff could have some sort of deadline, a minimum of, as a result of you’ll be able to’t be simply ready for him making his thoughts clear.

“So it’s bizarre or unusual in a method clearly for me to expertise that for the primary time. Additionally I believe for lots of others as drivers on the grid.

“However there’s nothing we are able to do. Now we have to attend. However then we’re beginning to discuss, making open conversations with completely different groups so we are able to have the choices open if there’s [anything] out there.

Zhou mentioned he believes he has “a couple of” possibility to remain on the grid subsequent yr.