Credits: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Carlos Sainz has made himself perhaps the most sought-after driver on the grid without a valid contract. The recent uptick in his performances has proved to the entire grid what he brings to the table. So, even though he doesn’t have a seat for 2025, the Spaniard is in a strong position. In fact, according to Nico Rosberg, the 29-year-old is in such a strong position that he’s busy negotiating for a few extra million with the best team on the grid.

The German told Sky Sports he believes the outgoing Ferrari man already has a contract to table. The contract is from none other than the reigning champions Red Bull. The Red Bull family wants its old driver back but Rosberg also believes the details of the contract are still being worked on.

As quoted by F1 Maximaal, he said, “They made an offer to Carlos Sainz, and I saw his father talking to Christian Horner this weekend. It seems that Horner was a bit stingy with the offer, so I suspect they are trying to get a few million extra.” Sainz is not letting his current form go to waste.

The Spaniard anyway has just three options on the table in Red Bull, Mercedes, and Audi, with Aston Martin already locked. Out of the three, it seems that Sainz plans to go for the best.

In his current form, the #55 driver will be incredible in the Red Bull car. However, the negotiations are perhaps at a stalemate because the expectations don’t match the offer. This could’ve been Audi’s doing.

Audi’s mega offer coming in the way of Carlos Sainz’s Red Bull negotiations

Sauber is also in the market for top drivers in preparation for the Audi overhaul. Among many, they naturally set their sights on Carlos Sainz. With his father’s connection to the German automakers, there was a high possibility of Sainz joining Sauber in 2025.

Those rumors have been stalled. However, according to various reports and Red Bull’s advisor Dr. Helmut Marko’s admission, Audi made a mega offer for the Spaniard’s services.

Even though Christian Horner denied those claims and any knowledge of Audi’s offer, the recent comments from Rosberg does make one wonder. Perhaps Sainz Sr. was in conversation with Horner to discuss his son’s yearly remuneration at Red Bull. He might be using the Audi mega offer that Red Bull can’t match as leverage. This is how the Red Bull hierarchy must’ve come to know about the unmatchable offer.

However, these are all conversations in the background. This is exactly why the Red Bull boss denied any claims of such knowledge. No one knows what’s happening in this silly season and where Sainz might end up. Yet, the outspoken Nico Rosberg has given the entire F1 world a lot to speculate about.