Carlos Sainz has expressed that he doesn’t “understand” the sudden “rush” in the Formula 1 driver market as teams wait on him to make a decision on his 2025 move.
Sainz has become the centrepiece when it comes to speculation ever since the bombshell announcement that Lewis Hamilton will replace him at Ferrari next season.
The Spaniard looked to be leaning to Williams over a possible tie-up with Sauber/Audi when Alpine entered the mix and protracted the saga at the Spanish Grand Prix.
But while he admitted in Barcelona last month that he was eager to finalise his 2025 plans Sainz is continuing to mull over the concrete proposals he has on the table.
Sainz has revealed that talks with the relevant parties have progressed across the last fortnight but not to a stage where he has committed his name to a certain side.
“For sure that every week or day that goes by I’m closer to taking a decision, but I’ve been busy watching the Euros and I haven’t taken a decision!” he remarked.
Several drivers across lower midfield teams have proclaimed that discussions regarding their own possible moves can’t be accelerated until Sainz’s outcome arrives.
Sainz has disclosed that he is aware that he has become the “cork in the bottle”, but he has reiterated that he will not be pressured into announcing an earlier choice.
“I am conscious of it [other drivers waiting], but at the same time I don’t think it’s going to change because it’s only the timing that I’m changing,” he explained.
“I’m probably not changing the outcome of anyone as probably all teams by now have their priorities and their decision-making depending on each scenario.
“At the same time, this sport and this world has taught me to be a bit more on the selfish side and look out for myself and take the decision that I need to take whenever I need to take it.
“And whenever I have all of the options on the table and I’m ready to take the decision, and not rush things if I don’t need to.”
Williams boss James Vowles stated that the team wanted a driver who is committed to its rebuild amid Valtteri Bottas’ hint that the team has moved on from Sainz.
However, Sainz has insisted that the teams courting him are remaining patient in their approaches, as he questioned the eagerness in the driver market this season.
“The teams have been very patient and I thank them for that,” he said. “But I’ve also had to be patient, it’s not like I’m the only one and here the only one deciding that.
“I also had to take my patient pill with other things and I’ve had to be patient. At the same time I thank everyone that is having to hang in there while I take the decision.
“What I don’t fully understand is why the market is happening so early this year?
“Why everyone is so much in a rush when I remember it used to be in the summer break, September, July, it used to be when all of those situations started to happen.”
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