F1 News: Carlos Sainz Keeping Audi Options Open While Rejecting Current Rumours - "Impossible To Predict"

Carlos Sainz has rubbished rumours of parting ways with Ferrari for Audi. But, if his contract isn't extended, then "it will be time to look elsewhere."

Carlos Sainz seemed rather frustrated while trying to clear the air about him leaving Ferrari for Audi in 2026. 

Audi is all set to make an entry in Formula 1 with the Swiss Sauber team that will continue to operate from Hinwil bearing the name 'Audi'. 

The rumours sparked off in April this year when the Managing Director of Sauber-Andreas Seidl, who was Sainz's team boss at McLaren began laying the team's managerial foundation for 2026 by recruiting staff and setting up the necessary infrastructure. 

News of Carlos Sainz being Seidl's top preference started to do the rounds everywhere. Sainz, who wants to race for Ferrari, reacted by accusing "smaller journalists" of spreading the rumours because they want to popularize their websites for attention.

Sainz had cleared the air back in April itself by calling the rumours "fictitious". However, he has taken up this matter once again. Speaking to the English language edition of Motorsport.com, he said:

"I really believe that there are simply weeks in Formula 1 when there is nothing to discuss.

I don't know if it's just clickbait or if smaller journalists are trying to get attention with a story like this so their smaller sites can be more successful when they can then say, 'I was the first to report that Carlos will be with Audi in 2026'.

I really think it has to be something like that, because I don't understand where else the rumors are supposed to come from. It doesn't mean that I will switch, nor does it mean that I won't switch. It's impossible to predict. But I know I'm not talking to anyone but Ferrari today."

Talking further about his contract with Scuderia that lasts until the end of 2024, he hopes to wrap up any extension of the contract at least by the end of this year. 

"I won't lie. I wouldn't like to go into the last year of my contract without knowing where I'll be driving the following year. 

I've seen this process at Red Bull and Renault, so I know it's not an ideal situation for an athlete and a racer. It's just not right. That's why I've set out to clarify my future this winter .

"For me, the priority is to win with Ferrari one day. That's my main goal. I think I've made that clear very, very often. And that's why I'll give them my first priority in winter." 

Sainz says he hasn't lost his trust in Ferrari despite the stage at which they're in. Currently, he stands in fifth place in the drivers' championship but is 127 points behind Max Verstappen. He said:

"I think the team is in good shape, we're still going through internal changes since Fred (Vasseur, Team Principal; ed.) came. There have been a few changes here and there that we're still realigning. But the factory and race team are doing well together.

So I don't think there's a loss of trust in the team. That doesn't give me a headache. The main thing is that we understand why we are so slow in the races. Once we understand that, everything else will be much easier for us."

We could hope to get clarity on this matter when Scuderia and Sainz officially sit down to discuss the extension of their contract this winter.