Driver Market Stalls: Sainz and Bottas Blame Red Bull

Carlos Sainz and Valtteri Bottas lament the stagnant F1 driver market, attributing the delay to Red Bull’s uncertain decisions.

The wild season of the Formula 1 driver market has now become a “waiting game.”

It’s a particularly tense period for Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver without a seat for 2025, who is reportedly evaluating a potential one-year offer from Mercedes F1, a possible seat at Red Bull Racing, or a much more lucrative and long-term offer from Sauber, future Audi F1.

“The situation is that there is no progress,” admits Sainz in Imola.

“Everything is practically at a standstill. It’s a waiting game.”

“I’m waiting for all the options to be laid out on the table, and then I’ll make the decision that suits me best.”

The 29-year-old driver denies that Audi has given him a deadline to respond in the form of an ultimatum – or that he is also giving the interested teams his own personal deadline.

“F1 doesn’t work like that,” insists Sainz. “You can’t give a deadline to every team.”

“What I can tell you is that I’m talking to everyone, as I’ve always said, and in talking to everyone, it doesn’t seem like the situation is becoming clearer.”

The situation is “a bit blocked by Toto,” according to him, referring to Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff, who is happy to wait until October if necessary for the situation at Red Bull to develop, as he might be able to recruit Max Verstappen.

Valtteri Bottas, meanwhile, is even more nervous about the current market stalemate. The Finn admitted in Imola that he isn’t 100% sure he will be in F1 in 2025.

“More than that,” laughed Bottas when asked if the percentage chance was 77 percent – his race number.

“I would say 99, but that’s just my perception. When you are free on the market, you always look around, and it’s been going in multiple directions for a long time. It’s very hard to decipher.”

“Negotiations are still ongoing, and I don’t think anything can move very quickly. Everyone is waiting on Red Bull, what Max will do, or what will be decided for Sergio. I certainly don’t want to wait as long as the August break, but I’m not panicking yet.”