Alonso's Aston F1 Affair Extends Beyond the Checkered Flag
Apr.12 - Carlos Sainz says he still has "no idea" which Formula 1 team he will be driving for beyond 2024.
What is clear is that it won't be a green Aston Martin - as Fernando Alonso removes himself from the ultra-early 2025 driver market.
The 42-year-old has re-committed to Aston Martin for next year and at least the first season of the new rules era in 2026, reuniting him with works Honda power.
Alonso's new contract appears to also promise him a brand ambassadorial role for his post-racing career in the future, as he admits he had talks with other teams, believed to most notably be Mercedes and Red Bull.
"Probably yes," the Spaniard admitted when asked if he will continue in another role at the Silverstone based team in the future. "But I don't know when I'm going to stop driving.
"If I continue for many years, I may reach the contract (end) date. To commit to a one-year project didn't make sense for me. I felt more loved at Aston Martin," Alonso told reporters on Thursday.
"The other conversations were light and did not lead me to conclusions, or were taking more time. At Aston there was a clear desire to work together."
As for Sainz, he still has an outside shot at a Red Bull or Mercedes seat, but neither appears more likely than an Audi-owned Sauber future for the 29-year-old.
"With his performance, Carlos is the one who is wanted right now," believes Spanish F1 commentator Antonio Lobato, speaking to DAZN. "Any team wants him, so now it's Carlos' decision to choose the best team from among them."
Spanish former racing driver Andy Soucek told Marca: "He deserves a place in a leading team and the entire grid knows it. And I have no doubt that it will be so."
However, Red Bull and Mercedes are not rushing. "Everyone is waiting to see what Max Verstappen does," surmises Michael Schmidt, a top journalist for Auto Motor und Sport.
Audi-Sauber, on the other hand, wants to settle its driver situation within mere days - which ties in with Sainz's recent comments about wanting to speed up his own decision-making process.
Schmidt said Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg are also linked with Sauber.
Sainz insists to Sky Italia: "I have no idea where I will be in 2025. At the moment I still have nothing to say but obviously it doesn't just depend on me but also the other teams.
"They know that I'm available. Let's see what will happen."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, meanwhile, has emerged with new comments admitting his teen protege Kimi Antonelli is "one of the favourites" to replace Lewis Hamilton.
"Some of the other top drivers are going to make a decision on what to do soon," he said, "but there's a feeling that points me in a direction not to take the decision too quickly."
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At the current performance level, Checo will most likely get another renewal & I'm skeptical whether Hulk really has a shot at Team Hinwill, although the full Audi takeover inevitably means different interests regarding drivers, so not impossible.
I still hold my view that Antonelli would be better off doing a second year in F2 rather than rushing with things, albeit the fact Mercedes is unlikely to challenge for the championship next season either minimizes the risks involved with effectively having a learning season, even though drivers should go to the highest level only when wholly ready rather than learn anymore.
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