“I have a slightly crazy idea, which I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned to the press. I’ve always imagined a Formula 1 where manufacturers and drivers are separate entities. Which, of course, will never happen, but I’ve always thought of a category with 20 races, where each driver races two races with each car. In this case, the driver would be part of F1, not a team. They would be a customer of F1, under contract with Formula 1 to drive the single-seaters.” This was the utopian vision shared by Carlos Sainz in a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, offering a radical concept that will naturally never see the light of day, as it would fundamentally alter the championship’s DNA.
The Spaniard continued to break down his ideal version of the sport: “So I would have the chance to race two races with Williams, two with Mercedes, two with Ferrari… and all drivers would have the exact same chance of winning the World Championship. This would constitute the World Drivers’ Championship, and the points scored for each manufacturer would make up the Constructors’ Championship. In this way, you would completely separate the manufacturers from the drivers. And you would have a true World Drivers’ Championship and a true Constructors’ Championship.” While Sainz’s proposal would technically level the playing field, critics would argue too many variables remain—such as certain cars suiting specific tracks better than others, weather fluctuations, and shifting team dynamics.
Sainz: “I never considered Mercedes as an option”
With twelve years of Formula 1 experience under his belt, the Madrid-born driver was asked if he found it unfair that he hasn’t consistently had a championship-winning car at his disposal despite his proven talent. “No, I think anyone who follows Formula 1 knows that’s how it works. They know it’s about being in the right place at the right time. That’s all. And for the rest of your career, you just do your best with the car you have available that season. That’s why Formula 1 is such a relative sport, because in the end, what matters are only the World Championships or the victories that the car allowed you to achieve.”
Because of this car-dependent reality, Sainz believes that a driver’s legacy should be measured differently. “So I think drivers should be judged based on the car they drove during their career, and not so much based on the number of World Championships or victories they achieved.” Addressing the persistent rumors linking him to Mercedes after his Ferrari departure at the end of 2024, he clarified: “I never considered it a possibility for me. I think Mercedes always had very clear ideas with Antonelli, and I never saw it as a real option.”
“The step backward we took might have delayed our goals by a year”
Williams initially aimed to hit the ground running under the new technical regulations, but those plans took a hit due to design setbacks. The Grove-based squad intended to fight at the front of the grid by 2028, but the timeline has now shifted. “I think it’s a realistic goal now, but it’s also true that the step backward we took this year might have postponed it by a few months or a year. I don’t know exactly how much it delayed it compared to my timeline, to how long I thought it would take for this project to become a winning team.” Sainz added a clear warning for the factory: “I want this time to be as short as possible, and that’s why, even if James says 2028, I will push the team to make it happen sooner.”
Sainz also opened up about adapting to the quirks of the current ground-effect cars. “This year I approached things a bit differently. I think you can get caught in a spiral of trying to save energy, which can drive you crazy. So I told myself: I will drive as naturally as possible, and then change if necessary, if I have to change a corner or a driving style. Instead of thinking ‘How many things can I do to change?’, I say to myself ‘I won’t drive recklessly. I will do it as naturally as possible. Then I’ll see where I am in terms of lap time, and whatever is necessary, I’ll change it.’”
Finally, Sainz compared his current mindset to the over-analytical approach of some grid rivals: “I think there are many drivers who rack their brains trying to find solutions, and the more I drive under these regulations, the more I realize that I have to do it as I’ve always done, and then find one or two tricks for each circuit that help me on that specific track.” Despite his long-term commitments, paddock rumors have linked him to a potential future with Audi. While nothing is set in stone, the driver market has proven that things can change in a heartbeat when the silly season spins into gear.
In conclusion, Carlos Sainz’s bold ideas for a driver-swapping grid and his determination to fast-track Williams’ return to the top flight reflect his deeply competitive nature. By adopting a more natural driving style and pushing his team past recent technical setbacks, the Spaniard remains fully focused on maximizing his performance and defying long-term timelines to secure a winning future.
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