F1 News: Carlos Sainz Opens Up On 2025 Contract Progress - 'Good Options Are Still Open'

Carlos Sainz remains optimistic about his F1 career options despite the pending departure from Ferrari and loss of a potential seat at Aston Martin.

Oct 23, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz (55) of Team Spain walks on / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Sainz has openly discussed the status of his contract negotiations as he looks to secure a seat for 2025. The Spanish driver remains optimistic about his future options as he prepares to depart Ferrari at the end of his three-year stint after being replaced by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Key Takeaways:

• Carlos Sainz's tenure with Ferrari is set to conclude after the 2025 season as the team opts for a new driver lineup featuring Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
• Despite losing Aston Martin as a potential team with Fernando Alonso's recent contract extension, Sainz feels positive about the remaining opportunities in the F1 driver market.
• Sainz is focused on securing his future in F1, hoping for clarity soon to maintain his current performance levels.

With his contract at Ferrari expiring at the end of the 2025 season, and the team having already announced a future lineup of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, Sainz is actively exploring his options.

The market dynamics have shifted following Aston Martin's confirmation that they will continue with two-time champion Fernando Alonso and likely Lance Stroll, closing one door for Sainz. Despite this, the Spaniard remains upbeat about his prospects, dismissing the British team as not being among his top choices anyway. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Sainz commented:

"All my best options are still open, which I think is a positive thing.

"Given the market situation, however, it obviously requires a bit of time. I think it's going to take some time for everyone to make their own mind and their own decisions. But the good options are still open. There’s been barely any progress over the last couple of weeks, so there's nothing really to update you on.

"It gets to a point when the sooner that everything develops, the better, because at the same time, it's not like it's affecting my performances at all this year. But the earlier you take it out of your head, the better. But it requires time, and it requires some decision-making. It's time to let that happen and see how things progress."