Credits: IMAGO PanoramiC

Carlos Sainz has massively stepped up ever since he lost his drive at Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton from 2025 onwards. At the 2024 Australian GP, the #55 driver went on to sensationally end Max Verstappen’s winning streak, days after undergoing appendicitis surgery. But with the Spaniard still without a seat for next year, his ex-McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, has claimed that the 29-year-old is probably underrated by many in the F1 paddock.

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Norris was quoted by Racefans.net as saying, “When you’ve worked with him [Sainz], when you know what he’s capable of doing, and when things click, they click very well and he has performances like he does this weekend. And I would say all year, he’s proved to be a step up from maybe what he has been last year. You’re silly if you underrate him.”

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Sainz lost his seat at Ferrari for 2025 after the team confirmed that they had signed seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Soon after Hamilton’s announcement, the team revealed that the Briton would partner Charles Leclerc, making it clear that there was no room for Sainz.

Ever since the Italian outfit confirmed that they will not extend their partnership with Sainz, the Spaniard has had a point to prove. And the former Renault driver seems to have done exactly that. At the season opener in Bahrain, he finished on the podium, ahead of fourth-placed Leclerc.

Sainz then missed the Saudi Arabian GP due to his appendicitis diagnosis but came back during the very next race weekend to win the Australian GP. He once again beat Leclerc for the victory. It are performances such as these that will likely make Sainz a hot prospect on the driver market for the 2025 season and beyond.

Where is Carlos Sainz headed in 2025?

After his stunning start to the 2024 season, Carlos Sainz has turned a lot of heads in the paddock. After his Australian GP triumph, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has all but confirmed the team’s interest in re-signing the ex-Toro Rosso (now V-CARB) driver back into their stable to drive alongside Max Verstappen.

Meanwhile, the #55 driver could also be looking at a straight swap with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The seven-time world champion’s departure leaves a huge vacancy at Brackley.

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Whilst Toto Wolff himself would be looking at many options, the combination of experience and youth Sainz could bring to the team could lure the Austrian into offering him a seat. Another team that has been linked to Sainz for a while now is the incoming Audi side.

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After recently completing a 100% takeover of Sauber, the German company would be eager to get their driver line-up sorted out. Sainz could be the perfect person to lead the team’s project to the very sharp end of the field. However, after tasting success with Ferrari, Sainz might be apprehensive about slipping back into the midfield with them.