Mattia Binotto has played down the prospect of Carlos Sainz joining Audi, insisting that the German manufacturer is satisfied with its current Formula 1 driver line-up of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. The comments appear to close one potential route for the Spanish driver as frustration grows over Williams’ difficult 2026 season.
Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams has not developed as expected. After a mixed first year that began with difficulties but ended with clear improvement, the 2026 campaign has dealt a major blow to the ambitions of both the Spaniard and Alexander Albon.
Carlos Sainz faces difficult second season at Williams
The Williams FW48 was completed late and suffered from weight problems during the first part of the championship. The Grove-based team’s opening upgrades also failed to produce the progress it had hoped for, while the next significant development package is not expected until the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
These difficulties have prevented Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon from building on the more encouraging conclusion to the previous season. Williams entered the new regulatory era hoping to continue moving towards the front, but the FW48’s delayed development and excess weight have complicated that objective.
The importance of weight under the new technical regulations had already been identified before the season, with Williams among the teams facing questions over reaching Formula 1’s 2026 minimum-weight target. The failure of the first upgrades to deliver the anticipated gains has only increased the pressure on the team’s next package.
In this context, it is unsurprising that Carlos Sainz appears to be assessing the driver market and considering what alternatives could exist for his Formula 1 future.
Mattia Binotto responds to Carlos Sainz Audi links
Audi has been regarded as one of the most logical possibilities for Carlos Sainz. Mattia Binotto knows the Spanish driver extremely well after bringing him to Ferrari and has continued to rate him highly despite his difficulties during the current season.
The arrival of the former Ferrari team principal at the head of Audi’s Formula 1 project previously revived speculation that Carlos Sainz could eventually follow Mattia Binotto to Audi. However, the Italian engineer has now made it clear that he is satisfied with the team’s existing drivers.
“Carlos is certainly someone I know very well, and it is easy to associate him with Audi, but I can only say that I am very happy with the driver line-up we have,” Mattia Binotto told RacingNews365.
“The fact that other drivers are being linked with our team still makes me very happy, because it demonstrates the credibility of our project. The external perception that we could one day become competitive is no longer a rumour, but a fact.”
Nico Hülkenberg had previously joked that Audi’s reserve position remained available while discussing the possibility of Carlos Sainz joining the German manufacturer. Mattia Binotto’s latest comments, however, indicate that neither of the two race seats is currently considered available.
Audi backs Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi began its first Formula 1 season with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, retaining the partnership that had already worked together before the German manufacturer’s full arrival in the championship.
The pairing is frequently described as a combination of experience and youth, but Mattia Binotto does not believe that description fully reflects the qualities of his drivers.
“Often, when people talk about Gabriel and Nico, I hear it described as a good mixture of experience and youth,” the Audi project leader explained. “I judge them differently: they are two very fast drivers.”
His position suggests Audi wants stability while developing its new chassis, power unit and technical structure. Gabriel Bortoleto is viewed as an important long-term prospect, while Nico Hülkenberg brings extensive Formula 1 knowledge to a project still in the early stages of its development.
For Carlos Sainz, that leaves Audi as a much more distant possibility than it may once have appeared. The Spaniard was one of the manufacturer’s potential targets before choosing Williams, but the current line-up now has the full public support of Mattia Binotto.
Why Carlos Sainz chose Williams instead of Audi
Audi was already a possible destination for Carlos Sainz ahead of the 2025 season. After losing his Ferrari seat, the Spanish driver was unwilling to accept the prospect of competing near the back of the grid with the team then racing as Sauber, even though Audi’s longer-term project appeared promising.
Carlos Sainz was instead convinced by Williams and the vision presented by team principal James Vowles. The Grove-based team offered an established rebuilding project and the prospect of making further progress under the new Formula 1 regulations.
The decision followed months of uncertainty after Ferrari chose Lewis Hamilton as Charles Leclerc’s future team-mate. Carlos Sainz ultimately selected Williams despite being linked with several alternatives, with the team securing both the Spaniard and Alexander Albon as part of its multi-year Formula 1 driver plan.
After such a difficult opening to the 2026 season, however, Carlos Sainz may now have reasons to question whether that was the correct choice. The FW48 has not provided the competitive platform he expected, and Audi’s increasingly credible project no longer appears to offer an obvious escape route.
His Formula 1 future therefore remains open. Much could depend on whether Williams’ Baku upgrade succeeds in addressing the FW48’s weaknesses and allows the team to recover during the second half of the season. For now, Mattia Binotto’s confidence in Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto leaves Carlos Sainz with one fewer realistic option on the driver market.
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