F1 Rumour: Carlos Sainz On Audi's Radar For 2026 With Social Media Tease

Carlos Sainz's Ferrari contract is set to expire at the end of this year.

It is suspected that Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is on Audi's radar for 2026 when the outfit officially takes over the Sauber F1 team. The German manufacturer is bound to look for drivers to hire in the near future, and several fingers point to Sainz Jr.

Sainz may hold an advantage in negotiations with Audi over other drivers, largely due to the influence his father, Carlos Sainz Sr, has on the German brand. Just recently, he secured his fourth Dakar Rally victory while driving an Audi RS Q E-Tron, achieving both, a personal milestone and Audi's inaugural win in the renowned race.

In 2026, Formula 1 will enter a transformative era with regulations introducing power units driven by a combination of electric power and internal combustion. This significant shift also welcomes Audi into the Formula 1 landscape.

Given the close ties with Sainz Sr, Audi is supposedly eyeing Sainz Jr for their 2026 F1 seat, especially after considering his 2023 achievement of being the only non-Red Bull driver on the Formula 1 grid to win a Grand Prix. 

Sainz Jr was present on location in the desert in Saudi Arabia to welcome his father after the grand Dakar victory. It is speculated that his father has been playing a role in bridging ties between him and Audi.

Not only that, but an Instagram post on Sainz's feed describing his father's win and the encounters that followed received a comment from Audi. The post, captioned, "We'll never forget this @dakarrally 💫", received a reaction from the German brand's social media team that commented, "What a time!"

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A post shared by Carlos Sainz (@carlossainz55)

Regarding Ferrari, it is rumoured that once the negotiations for Charles Leclerc's contract extension are settled, the team's subsequent priority is to engage in discussions with Sainz about extending his contract. Although indications suggest a potential collaboration between Audi and Sainz Jr., the outcome of a deal between the two parties is yet to unfold.