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Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. has responded to rumours about joining Audi when the German powerhouses enter Formula One in 2026. The Spaniard, who won his first Formula One race at the British Grand Prix in 2022, is under contract with Ferrari until 2024, so when his current agreement expires, Audi won't be on the grid for another year.
However, Sainz has publicly denied those allegations, saying that he is focusing entirely on a contract extension with Ferrari. The Spanish driver's current contract expires after the upcoming season, while Sainz and Charles Leclerc have contracts that run through the end of 2024.
Sainz is certain that he only wants to talk to Ferrari about 2025, despite the fact that that is not a comfortable position for him.“I’m not going to lie, I don’t like going into my last year of a contract without really knowing where I’m racing the next year,” he said. “My priority, and my main goal, is to win one day with Ferrari. And I think I've made that clear, very, very often. And that's why I will give my priority to them this winter." He added further.
Sainz is not the only person associated with a changeover. Due to his inability to match the performance of his teammate Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll of Aston Martin is also rumoured to be replaced by a Ferrari driver.
Those interested in motorsport eagerly anticipate the next phase of Sainz's developing career as excitement for this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, grows. Sainz has failed to place on the podium in this season's first eight races, with his best performance being a P4 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. As a result, he is 127 points back of championship leader Max Verstappen in fifth place on the 2023 Drivers' log with 68 points.
