Ferrari's driver Carlos Sainz of Spain drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
By F1 correspondent Michael Butterworth
SUZUKA, Japan, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has said he wants his Formula One future sorted soon, adding that he is already talking to several teams about the prospect of driving for them in 2025.
F1's 2025 driver market was thrown into turmoil before this season had even begun, with the shock announcement that Lewis Hamilton was to end his 12-year stint with Mercedes and move to Ferrari next year.
With Charles Leclerc already signed up on a long-term deal with the Scuderia, Hamilton's imminent arrival forces Sainz out of Ferrari at the end of this year.
However, the Spaniard has been in good form lately, taking superb wins at Singapore last year and Australia two weekends ago, and with as many as 13 drivers out of contract at the end of 2024, Sainz is unlikely to be short of offers to continue his F1 career.
"We're talking to pretty much all of [the teams] because that's what my management team and myself should do when I don't have a job for next year," Sainz said at the pre-Japanese Grand Prix press conference.
"It's just a matter of obviously going more into detail and seeing the more realistic options and what are the best options for me and for my future.
"I don't have any news to say here today. The only thing I would say is that obviously it's time to speed everything up, and hopefully we can get it sorted sooner rather than later."
Sainz's win last time out in Australia was all the more impressive considering he had missed the preceding Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after appendix surgery.
The Spaniard is the only non-Red Bull driver to have won a Grand Prix since George Russell triumphed for Mercedes in Brazil in November 2022. ■
Aston Martin's driver Lance Stroll of Canada drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Williams' driver Loggan Sargeant of the United states drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Aston Martin's driver Lance Stroll of Canada drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Red Bull Racing's driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Ferrari's driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's driver Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's driver Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Mercedes's driver George Russell of Britain drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Ferrari's driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Red Bull's driver Sergio Perez of Mexico drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Spectators watch the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's driver Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Aston Martin's driver Lance Stroll of Canada drives during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's dirver Zhou Guanyu (front) of China and Valtteri Bottas of Finland drive their cars during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Red Bull Racing's driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Red Bull's driver Sergio Perez of Mexico drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu (R) of China talks with crew members before the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Haas' driver Kevin Magnussen of Denmark (L) and his teammate Nico Hulkenberg of Germany drive their cars during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu of China drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu of China starts the race during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Red Bull Racing's driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands starts the race during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Kick Sauber's Valtteri Bottas of Finland drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc of Monaco drives his car during the practice session of Formula One Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
