'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko has suggested that Carlos Sainz will need to quickly take a call as his contract negotiations with Audi continue.
The Spanish driver will leave the Ferrari F1 team at the end of the 2024 season. The Prancing Horses decided against renewing his contract and signed Lewis Hamilton on a multi-year deal.
After the team decided to leave him out, Carlos Sainz made an excellent start to the season, winning in Australia and getting two further podiums in Bahrain and Japan.
Speaking with OE24, the Red Bull advisor spoke about Sainz's dilemma regarding the contract negotiations with Audi and said (via PlanetF1):
“Sainz is in great form at the moment. I think he has a very good offer from Audi for three years, but he has to make a decision relatively soon. We, on the other hand, won’t be making a decision soon, we don’t let such things put us under pressure. But of course, we are sorting."
He also added that Carlos Sainz was a different driver when he raced for Toro Rosso from 2015 to 2017, adding:
“Well, he was still very young back then. But in the meantime, he has developed really well and is showing incredible form.”
Carlos Sainz's manager provides an update on his charge's future
Carlos Sainz's manager and cousin, Carlos Onoro, stated that there won't be any announcements regarding the Spanish driver's future in F1 between China and Miami.
While appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, Onoro said:
“A few, a few. Let’s say it’s an interesting period of time at the moment. The driver market has been all over the place lately and I think we will see some movement in the upcoming weeks. But, for the moment, the juggling continues.
"You can sleep well between China and Miami, don’t worry. There will be no big news, at least coming from us – for sure not. We’re still playing the game, so we’ll see.”
Carlos Sainz does have some doors open. Red Bull and Mercedes are yet to decide on their second driver for the 2025 season, whilst Audi has made him their prime candidate for a seat and lead their project when they enter F1 in 2026.
