Few would have imagined that Carlos Sainz, moving from Ferrari to Williams, would achieve more positive results at Grove than he did with Maranello, which has been facing a serious crisis with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the latter brought in by Ferrari to replace the Spaniard. Carlos Sainz helped take Williams to fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, securing an impressive three podiums in the process.
These performances, besides highlighting the Madrid-born driver’s talent, have confirmed his status as one of the most sought-after drivers among the teams. At least, this is the belief of former Haas Team Principal Günther Steiner, who shared his thoughts on Carlos Sainz’s potential future on the podcast The Red Flags: “Some teams are watching him now but won’t admit it – he explained – Red Bull could have brought him back last year to pair him with Max, but they didn’t want to. It’s as if they asked themselves: should we have Carlos and fight for the World Championship? Maybe they didn’t want to, but when you make these decisions, you never go back and you regret it. Next time a team is looking for someone, he will certainly be one of the top candidates. He’s still young, experienced, has won races, and can unite a team like he did at Williams. So now he has all the credibility. He just needs the right opportunity. As I always say, you need to be in the right place at the right time.” – he pointed out.
Gunther Steiner then focused on what Carlos Sainz’s future could look like, particularly in a top team at 31 years old: “I think it will be very difficult to step up unless you are a rookie – he continued – but I believe the opportunity for Carlos will present itself next year with one of the midfield cars, which could be Williams or Aston Martin. They’re looking for someone who can take them fully to the top, as Alonso did with Aston Martin. I think the opportunities are there. A return to Ferrari is very unlikely; Red Bull is very unlikely; Mercedes is very unlikely, but there is always a chance because one of the other teams is performing very well. I think this is his opportunity. I’d say Williams or Aston Martin are his best options. Honestly, I don’t think Fernando can go on for another five years. He’ll do another year, maybe two at most.”
As the driver market heats up ahead of 2026, Carlos Sainz holds strong cards. Whether he stays to lead Williams’ charge or jumps to Aston Martin for a fresh challenge, his 2025 heroics have ensured he’ll be in demand. F1 fans will watch closely as one of the grid’s most likable and capable drivers plots his next move.
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