It's Decision Time for Carlos Sainz 

If Redbull care about the constructors championship they should drop Perez for literally anyone else

carlos sainz's big problem is this he is too good to be a number 2 for a top team but is not good enough to be a number one driver for a top team

Toto has seemingly backed the wrong horse. Antonelli is seriously floundering in the F2 Championship right now, with zero wins, zero pole positions, 1 fastest lap and a drop to 10th in the championship standings. He finished both the feature race and sprint race outside of the top 10 in Austria this weekend. If Toto seriously thinks that he should give an 18 year old driver the race seat at Mercedes, just because he was quick in FRECA and F4, then Toto has lost his marbles. Antonelli is young and inexperienced, but if he was as good as Toto and the media like to hype him up as, he should NOT be barely managing to stay within the top 10 of an F2 championship, regardless of his inexperience. It’s not like he hasn’t had 3 seasons experience in single seaters. Antonelli has become less and less impressive the higher up the racing category he has gone. He completely dominated F4, won FRECA last year but wasn’t anywhere near as dominant as he was in F4 and for the first half of last year, wasn’t leading the championship, and now in F2 he looks really mediocre at the F2 season midpoint. If Antonelli were within the top 3 or 4 drivers in the F2 championship, I could see why Toto would consider taking a punt on Antonelli., but 10th ? Apart from a odd dash of a little bit of speed here and there from him, Antonelli really hasn’t performed!

People need to stop believing that "a customer team" is supposed to be slower. This is no longer the case since the cost cap was introduced and everyone had to reset their cars. Mercedes is no longer able to have 10 car designs costing them half a billion.

I love watching Max and Lando duel it out every race. I feel sorry for Sainz :(

Williams - Mercedes engine with the 2026 reg changes, they nailed it in 2014, and this is going to be another engine formula, so potentially another chance they’ll be good. In 2014-2016, they were a decent side with a P3 in the 2014 constructors. Also if you believe in James Vowles and his vision, I can see the appeal, plus the history and success Williams have had in the past as a former top team. Strong teammate in Albon, but Sainz should have the edge. Audi - money, big constructor, no.1 status and having the team built around you. Working with Seidel again, who clearly wants Sainz. But Hulkenburg will be a tough match up, even though I think Sainz will still beat him. Haas - no appeal imo, why would you even consider going there unless you had no other choice. Alpine - best team amongst all of these, best way to still have relatively high stock and perception amongst the paddock. Terrible leadership and management, and a tough team mate in Gasly. But again, Sainz should beat him.

Williams is the best choice without a doubt for Sainz. Because his Data will be reviewed by Mercedes and if Kimi Antonelli flounders he'll have a Mercedes seat in no time.

Sorry about the illness sir. Good news is that you sounded just fine.

Sainz does it right. He can wait until the "end". Either Verstappen is moving to Mercedes, then he can have the Red Bull cockpit or he can compete with Antonelli for the Mercedes spot. Plan B for him and Antonelli would be Williams. So why should he now sign with Williams?

He keeps stringing things along, he's gonna end up without a seat.

You should make a video about me and about how good I am

That's a very convincing argument tbh

I think Sauber is the best choice, especially with a multiyears contract. With the new regs Audi will be a midfield team at the start, whereas all the other teams are trying to become consistent midfilders for years.

He should avoid Alpine based on the inner team issues. Best be would be Williams.

Hope your feeling alright Aldas! Loving the content!

One thing that I think doesn't get mentioned enough is the possibility of Adrian Newey going to Williams (though as of now nothing is certain). I also think Williams would be a good fit for Sainz, they have the best potential for growth. There's no drama surrounding the team like there is in Alpine's case, and I don't think either Sainz or Newey want to be any part of it. The potential comeback of Williams if Newey joins would be a great story with Sainz in it.

going on a short term deal is a big risk with the no. of F2 drivers ready to prowl at F1 seats I do not see Sainz ever getting back to front running team if he signs for Alpine and now that they're throwing away their works team status just shows how bad the situation is. Given Flavio Briatore's past actions there will be an air of distrust in the team which does not bode well with the team's current administrative storm. Sadly Sainz will most probably be stuck in the mid field till retirement. His best bet is a long term deal at Sauber/Audi lest he move to a different category like WEC or Rally I don't believe any other teams has the will or money to provide him with a long contract Given his current status as a Ferrari driver this is the best chance he has at a long term motorsport career leveraging his position for a competitive seat in another category or drive a mid field F1 car in Audi till his retirement.

Carlos Sainz should go to Alpine, for some reason a Gasly-Sainz partnership just feels right. I would've said Williams earlier but they're too far behind.

Carlos’ biggest consideration is making sure he has contractual flexibility when a top seat re-opens as early as ‘26 or ‘27 at latest. Edit: Ah, so you came to the same conclusion I did about where he’ll go and I’d go to.

I am kinda hoping it’s Sainz waiting to commit to Williams based on them possibly pursuing Newey. If Newey is tempted by the challenge of a Williams project I would jump at it if I was Sainz.

Sauber, they will become an Audi works team with complete control of the car. Yes that could backfire horribly but he would be assumably the top dog at a works team with massive backing

Carlos should go to Penske and race at the front of a grid rather than biding his time with a bunch of losers.

Mercedes must sign Sainz, Antonelli can be made to wait for now.

I think he only either goes to Alpine or goes to Williams with the option built-in to go to Mercedes for 2025. It’s also really important to note is the new technical partnership Mercedes and Williams now have.

Absolutely agree. Chili is considering Alpine mainly because he has been promised a Mercedes PU, and that well might be a solid bet for 2026. My favourite driver, Carlito. ❤ I just hope that he wins a world championship in the next few years.

I know I'm probably in the minority here but I agree with Alpine being the best option. Among the available teams, they have consistently performed the best over the last 6 years. Even though they had severe mismanagement behind the scenes, they have always provided a car that was at least able to fight for points, sometimes even for podiums. Imagine what they could do when they finally get their act together. Additionaly, their manufacturer status could benefit them in 2026 and beyond, if they get the engine right this time.

Good videos man love you’re content

Audi but with escape clause is the best option

I know it's not the Main theme here but Id like to see Bottas get one Last Chance on a frontrunner Team. To See if it's just all to blame on the bad car or if he's really done. Sainz would be perfect for Red Bull but seemingly the sponsors of Checo and not wanting any Challenge for Max in the Team is more worth to Red Bull than the constructors title

According to F1 Insider and Expert Michael Schmidt, Sainz has already signed with Williams and this before Spain. Because Audi wants him for 3 Years, but Williams offerd him 3 Years but with the Option for him to leave after 2 Years without any Restriction from Williams. They only wait for the perfect time to announc it.

I’m betting there’ll be a video about Max vs. Lando in Austria next 😜 for real though, I hope your voice recovers again soon 🙏🏼

People will be shocked to the reasoning for the delay. Let's just say the top contender we have been hearing from a long time pretty much tried to sign Carlos for 1/10 agreed amount and more importantly sold his image rights to a third party.

It's decision time, I'm panicking, oh my god

Sauber is the best option tbh. Him and Hulkenberg in a mid field Audi car in 2025 with the new regulations in 2026 it may just be enough to actually compete for a championship if not right away if they get it right in 2026 because you never know; Audi could just pull of a miracle and make a perfect car in 2026 for Hulkenberg and Sainz, we already know what both of them are capable of. F1 is just unpredictable bro

I do have to agree. Would be crying signing the Alpine contract but the fact is that Williams and Haas will not be there performance wise in 26, Williams is in a rebuild phase unlikely to pay off short-med term. Audi are again a long bet, Sainz would at best be there Coulthard building the team for a Vettel to take over and have the glory. Alpine bad as they are now can deffo play for a podium if they get the Merc power and they have Flav so I think they are the dark horse that will keep Sainz in the convo at a lead team, probably Aston, in 2027

100% agree with you, Carlos should definitely move to alpine

IT SO OBVIOUS HE HAS TO GO TO AUDI IF DRIVERS THINK 2 YEARS IN THE FUTURE

CORRECT!

Would love to see him in a Redbull

Cant wait for this decision! No good options

I think he should take a sabbatical. Go racing the Dakar Rally with your old man instead of toiling at the back midfield of the grid next year Chili.

seeing what he has to go through when he's such a fantastic driver makes me want to tear up man. I feel so bad for the guy.

Carlos needs to pull a Hulk and go the WEC. Win some races. Win Le Mans. Possibly win a championship. Then come back to help "build" the best mid field F1 team available.

I like alpine the most out of the midfield so would lofe to see him there I know there are internal problems but it's better because gasly is a great driver to score points with and guarantee a decent 5th-7th in the constructors and maybe 5th-9th in the driver's

First of all, why the rush? It is not even a summer break and everyone rushes to close the grid for next year! Carlos can wait till the end of the season, where things will be clearer. And I don't think being ditched by one of the top teams, most historic teams on the grid, is something Carlos has got used to yet. So, let's be real. Summer break will give space to Carlos to think and evaluate, he is the undesputed No1 free driver for 2025 and any of the 4 teams will be praying to have him, there is plenty of time for the silly season to play out. Also keep in mind that the development for this round of regulations is effectively over, these will be the cars for next year too, so the actual criteria is 2026 onwards. In that respect, Williams is the best take for me, with a long term investment in Merc engine, a working restructure of the team, a good teammate and a historic legacy. Otherwise, a career outside F1 would also be preferable in my opinion. For those waiting for the .... safety car (VER -> Mercedes, PEZ -> ditched etc.), ya su kalinoches

I think it is best for Sainz to go to Alpine. Best option for his long-term career. Also, I hope Ricciardo finds and signs a deal away from the Red Bull meat grinder.

Aldas, I still think you offer some of the best F1 insight out there. Always enjoy hearing your thoughts.

Sucks for Sainz, just the way the cookie crumbles, i thought Sainz to Red Bull was going to happen, now i think hes going to Alpine...

I think Williams is the best choice RIGHT NOW, but things can change daily in F1. I'm best intrigued by Alpine with their new consultant they just brought in, Mr. Crash-Gate. Maybe it would be best if he went to a WEC team for a year, and then see what is available the following year. Fernando and Nico were gone are 2 and 3 years, and they are wanting drivers.

Carlos has to wait for Mercedes to sign for the second seat first. Becouse can ocurr a lot of changes. There are rumors abouț Antonelli not being ready for F1 next year and Verstapen family dispute with Christian Horner not being reconcilable.

Alpine about to be Andretti soon.

Lmao Ugh Alpine is a cluster but your point was well made. Least of all evils. There’s no great options for Carlos.

What if Carlos is just done with F1 and doesn't care, he's gonna go do something else. Also. Williams is about to pull a McLaren over the next 2-3 years. They've got all the right people in the right places and finally are getting out of their funk, largely because the Williams Family isn't in charge of things anymore. (Game changed, they didn't, simple as..) Alpine is a dumpster fire. Sauber/Audi is a big fat ? Lol HAAS.

Regardless of where he goes, I have a feeling 2025 is not going to be his year. Which is what he probably fears. He wants to be in a winning team now, not wait for a team to get better. This has really got to suck for him.

Alpine changed concept this year since they weren't able to make any easy gains on the old conceept they had until 2023. Technically they should have a lot of room for development this year and into 2025 so they are his best option rn imo.

Red Bull please? Its a no brainer for both party.

Saiz doesn't need to decide, because every team wants him. He can take his sweet time and pick the team that eventual wins the midfield battle of this year so he can perform well in 2025 and leave the team in 2026 for a top team when a set opens up.

I could honestly see redbull cancelling checos contract if he keeps performing like this. There must be some kind of clause in it that says if he doesn’t perform enough then he’ll be out. Hopefully that happens in time for sainz to be available and get that top seat

Get well soon! If you like whisky, try a shot of it in a tall glass, a good teaspoon of honey, topped up with boiled water to melt the honey and then cooled down to be drinkable without burning anything! It should soothe your throat, and it can help you sleep if you need that. Very interesting video. Some excellent points in it. I honestly think Sainz should take a punt on Audi. Yes, next year's car is unlikely to be any good, but he has the opportunity to have the new regulation car essentially designed around him. He won't get a true number 1 driver spot in Williams or Mercedes. He's desperate for that sort of position.

Alpine has at the very least the potential and track record. It's always that chaos that surrounds the team that drags them down. They weren't that bad just two years ago, they made good progress in the aftermath of the lotus buyout, they were race winners as lotus. Yes, the start of the season was the lowest point yet, but then again, they started as deadlast and now leapfrogged all the other teams available to sainz by midseason. Renault possibly ditching their worksteam engine sounds pretty bad, but then again it is the worst engine and McLaren as a customer seems to be quite a good place.

Was surprised red bull didn’t get sainz to replace Perez but what’s done is done! Think it’ll do his career more harm than good signing for Sauber while waiting for Audi take over I agree him signing a 2 year contract at the best team he can get but again bit of a gamble Very compromised position he’s in

90% sure he will join audi, either next year trough stake f1 or once audi has their team on the grid he will jump in and have some years off

I would even say: take a year out! But the risk is that there will be no seats!

He should be leading Ferrari's le mans campaign

If I was Sainz, I'd choose Williams they offered him a 4 year deal as well as a exit clause if after 2 years

I think if he and his management were more aggressive, he could be signed at Mercedes by now. So I can’t say him being forced to drive for a team near the back was entirely Ferrari’s or Hamilton’s “fault”. I’d still be happiest with him at Williams because they are fully focused now on getting back to the top. I get the Alpine arguement and I have been impressed with their trajectory this year, but their management is so all over the place, I can’t see Carlos staying there even for 2 years. Remember, this is probably just a holding period for him while he and his team evaluate Audi, how they do in the first 2/3 years before they commit Carlos to Audi.

I think he should go to Sauber, no guarantee Audi will ever be good, but the odds of the others becoming top teams is even less likely

Please, you don't have to apologise to your viewers if you have a sore throat. In fact, thanks for shooting a video and posting when you are not 100%. Please take care of yourself! I really your content

I will say Haas is going to see a very large influx of cash go to the F1 team as they are downsizing from four NASCAR Cup Series teams to one. Thats millions of dollars a year that can go towards the F1 team. Is it enough to push them to the top of the grid? Absolutely not. But I'd be equally suprised and disappointed if it doesn't at least result in some more consistent speed.

If only sianz had more trust in McLaren he would be driving one of the best cars this season

Carlos to Alpine, with Merc engine Alpine could shock some people next season.

I think Sainz will want a more stable environment and would work perfectly with Albon , on a two year contract . Maybe Hamilton leaves Ferrari or Perrez Rb so he has opened seats in two years.

What happened to the Mercedes option?

sauber hasnt gotten decent points since 2018 haas seems to be the mid field team to watch, without the podiums merc have found pace. piece by piece now within 2 tenths off pole position williams is just a bad idea and hasnt seen podium points since 2014 redbull made a mistake resigning perez because max doesnt want sainz on the team. ferrrari made a mistake signing lewis over sainz alpine is trying to limit damage control atm. id sign with merc and wait to see what audi does. and then go to alpine if it all falls apart

Is a disaster, he should be in that Red Bull or Mercedes. Can’t believe Toto is holding on to the idea of Max going to Mercedes or bringing Kimi in.

aston martin - front of the grid?

If reports are true and the only reason Mercedes isn't a option is because Sainz wanted a 2 year contract, then I would probably reach out and say that 1 year deal sounds pretty good right now. I do think Alpine is the best of these terrible options, but they are also so close to absolute chaos so I would pick Williams. They are behind yes, but they are rapidly getting better. Plus they will have the Mercedes engine for 26. But at this point it's picking the least terrible option of garbage, and that's a real shame for Carlos.

Sainz act like hes a world champion and all these hard to get game will eventually bite him

Williams is a good future project like sauber while Alpine is unpredictable plus Gasly would want to be the number one driver and Hass is not even a options for someone like a race winner like Carlos or if redbull care about the constructer title they should fire Perez and bring back Carlos

Despite the fact that Sauber is an absolute clown show at the moment, if I was Sainz, I would go there. The new 2026 regs have been pretty much suited to tailor Audi, and what happened the last time the FIA introduced an engine focused rule set that was put ahead to suit one team? Yep, total domination. Yes, their pit stops are still woeful, but there's still time to improve that in the following years. I just get the feeling that Audi could nail the engine, I mean, they have been really successful in many areas of motorsport. The biggest issue I have with them succeeding is the aero departement as I have very little faith in James Key as the technical director, but the importance of aero will be reduced in 2026 anyway so it might not hinder them too much.

Carlos should sign up for williams

Williams is the clear choice.

As a drugovich fan i hope he doesnt go williams

The best choice is the one that pays him the most. He wont win anything in any of those teams. So he should just go for the money and beat hist teanmate so in the future can back to a top team

imagine he does a Danny Ric when he was at McLaren and comes out of this a worse driver. I hope that doesnt happen to the smooth operator

It all depends on the Renault engine saga... if Alpine remains Renault powered he should stay tf away

Please Mercedes sign this man

If you have to choose between a bunch of trash teams then number 1 secure the bag, and number 2 pick the team with the most potential. No way to know what's going to happen with your career so make sure you're taken care of.

Mazaspin to red Bull 🙌🏻

The best challenge will be Sauber when Audi takes it over, clean sheet with a super strong technical and funded operation.

Hope you're feeling better. Audi have always dominated every sport they've entered and got up to speed really quickly. F1 is a very different animal though. Look at how Toyota never won even with a gagillion dollar budget. I think he should take the 2+2 option at Williams and then show that he's still a driver that the big teams need.

your voice isn’t as annoying now lol

Should go to Audi

This dude gets sick every single year

It’s a coincidence that Sainz hit him. It’s not ironic

Wonder what the sore throat is from 😂

I do wonder how much longer Audi is going to wait on Sainz to make a decision

"Alpine lake of ambitious" is a lie, the real story is Enstone old team was against new French Management, people were there for very long tile and felt they could do what ever they want. Sainz will sign for Alpine Alpine because it s the best deal he can have: Best infrastructure, Best money,BestActual ranking, Best Potientioal for Podium and probably Best contract exit rule if they is an oppprtunity in top 3 teams

For me, it's either Alpine or Haas for Carlos, but I lean more towards Haas. Why? Haas is backed a lot by Ferrari, their car is built around Ferrari's part, and that will give some sort of familiarity for Carlos, hence he won't be taking too long to adapt to a new car. We've seen how Nico can be so quick in a Haas, why wouldn't Carlos be as quick or even quicker? As for Alpine, they do have some history, but I think the team is too hectic for Carlos to go there.

The poll was misleading. It won't be Sauber, it will be Audi. That changes everything. Williams is Williams. Alpine and Haas are this close to being out of F1. Audi is the only option.