Carlos Sainz Could Become Pierre Gasly's Teammate As Alpine Join Race Against Audi And Williams To Sign Him

Could Carlos Sainz become Pierre Gasly’s teammate in 2025? Read on to find out.

By Ananya Kesh

Published on Jun 27, 2024 | 02:55 PM IST | 133.4K

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In a major move for the Formula 1 driver market, Alpine is now a serious candidate to sign Carlos Sainz for the 2025 campaign. This action sets up a dynamic driver combination as Pierre Gasly extends his contract with the team.

Earlier today, Pierre Gasly, who signed up with Alpine at the start of the 2023 season, has extended his contract. Both Gasly and his teammate Esteban Ocon secured top-10 finishes at the Spanish Grand Prix, after a difficult start to the 2024 season. Alpine's decision to renew Gasly demonstrates their faith in his skills and their dedication to developing a strong, competitive squad around him.

Esteban Ocon’s exit and Alpine’s pursuit of Carlos Sainz

It is known that Gasly's current colleague Esteban Ocon will be leaving Alpine at the end of the current season. There's a seat next to Gasly that's empty now, and there's a lot of conjecture about who might take it. After Ocon leaves, Alpine will be looking for a capable and seasoned driver to work alongside Gasly, and Carlos Sainz has shown himself to be a top contender.

After competing for Renault (Alpine's predecessor) from 2017 to 2018, Carlos Sainz is departing Ferrari at the conclusion of the current campaign. Sainz had originally planned to join Mercedes or Red Bull, but his options were more limited when Mercedes decided to promote their young driver, Kimi Antonelli, and Red Bull decided to extend the contract of Sergio Perez.

Due to this circumstance, Sainz is thinking about long-term collaborations with groups like Williams or Sauber, which is set to become Audi in 2026.

Alpine, however, has launched a last-ditch effort to acquire Sainz by utilizing their most recent performance gains and the addition of Flavio Briatore as a special advisor. Known for his strategic thinking, Briatore has been heavily involved in the talks to get Sainz on board and is in charge of assembling the team's driver roster.

Flavio Briatore’s influence and Alpine’s competitive edge

The addition of Flavio Briatore to Alpine's team last week gave their plan a fresh perspective. Top talent is likely to be drawn to the squad in large part due to Briatore's influence and experience in Formula 1. His participation demonstrates Alpine's will to contend at the greatest level and indicates their sincere want to hire Sainz.

With both Gasly and Ocon placing in the top-10 in Barcelona, Alpine's recent performance demonstrates the team's increasing trend. Sainz, who is searching for a team with room to grow and succeed, finds Alpine to be a compelling alternative because of this comeback. Sainz might be persuaded to join the team even more by the stability that comes with Gasly's upcoming contract renewal.

Carlos Sainz’s pending decision keeps driver market hanging

Carlos Sainz has acknowledged that the uncertainty has been bothering him for weeks and stated that he hopes to find a solution soon. "A decision will be taken very soon," he stated in a recent interview. I want to stop waiting right now. Now is the moment to decide."

In the most recent Spanish Grand Prix, Sainz came in sixth place, proving his worth as a driver and his ongoing competitiveness. With Alpine, Williams, and Audi all fighting for his signing, his choice will have a big impact on the driver roster for 2025.

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