Audi offer Carlos Sainz update as Esteban Ocon enters frame for 2025 Sauber line-up
Carlos Sainz is set to leave Ferrari at the end of the year after being snubbed by both Red Bull and Mercedes, leaving Audi in pole position.
Audi have confirmed they are not in a hurry to finalise their 2025 Sauber driver line-up, despite their top target Carlos Sainz being overlooked for a more competitive seat.
Sainz is set to depart Ferrari at the end of this year to be replaced by Lewis Hamilton. Despite this setback, he started the season impressively and quickly became a strong contender for the top seats available on the grid for the upcoming season.
However, his options have now all but disappeared. Red Bull considered the Spaniard but have instead decided to extend Sergio Perez's contract, while Mercedes still have a vacancy but are unlikely to consider Sainz as they focus on other candidates.
This leaves the 29-year-old with only options that are further down the grid. Audi have been long-time admirers and are believed to have had an offer on the table for some time, while he is also a contender for Williams who are considering replacements for the struggling Logan Sargeant.
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If they fail to secure Sainz's signature for Sauber, Audi are likely to turn next to Esteban Ocon. And a move for the Frenchman has become much more simple now that Alpine have confirmed that he will be leaving the team at the end of this season.
The F1 driver market is moving fast this year with several seismic decisions having already been made. But Audi have already secured one of their drivers by signing Nico Hulkenberg from Haas and feel no need to rush into a decision about their other seat.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, a representative for Team Audi in F1, said: "I think there is not a deadline.
"We have anticipated the market a bit by signing Nico Hulkenberg, who is a really strong addition to our team and fits properly into the long-term project of Audi in F1. Now we have the time to assess the very best options available."
He implied that the decision was influenced by the actions of other teams: "Of course, there is a market that we need to take into consideration. It's depending not just [on] ourselves, it's depending [on] how other teams will take their decisions and will, I would say, have an impact on other teams' decisions.
"We are there, we are playing a role in this market, and of course, we want to secure the very best pair of drivers for the future. This, I think, needs to take the proper time, without accelerating the process, but we want to be positioned well in the future."
The move to sign Hulkenberg confirms that at least one of Sauber's current duo, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, will depart following this season's finale.
The most probable scenario points to both drivers being replaced, although with many seats still up for grabs, other teams could prove viable next steps for them.
