Formula 1 commentator Lawrence Barretto is confident that Carlos Sainz will not be short of opportunities in the 2025 Formula 1 season once he overcomes the initial setback.
The recent news of Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari in 2025 has captured the attention and excitement of many, marking a significant change as the seven-time World Champion prepares to leave Mercedes after a lengthy tenure.
Amidst this reshuffling, Carlos Sainz emerges as the figure most impacted by the developments.
Despite being the only driver outside of Red Bull to secure a victory in 2023 and expressing a strong wish to continue with Ferrari, Sainz finds himself sidelined in favor of the iconic British racer joining forces with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
Carlos Sainz Expected to Have ‘Numerous Opportunities’ in 2025
On an episode of the F1 Nation podcast, which delved into Hamilton’s groundbreaking move, Lawrence Barretto shared his insights, highlighting that Sainz’s performance remains beyond reproach.
He emphasized that the current Ferrari contender is well-positioned to explore many possibilities in the driver market for the upcoming season.
He mentioned; “I actually think he’s not in too bad a spot at the minute, I think he probably looked at the fact that he’s lost his seat to the greatest driver of a generation as probably some sort of… it’s probably the best thing that could have happened to him,”
“Because it just shows that, if that was going to happen, at least it was Lewis and not like an Albon or someone else who he would have felt pretty disappointed by”.
“He’s got tonnes of options.”
Mercedes and Red Bull each have race seats yet to be confirmed for the 2025 season. However, Barretto believes that Mercedes presents a more favorable opportunity for him, suggesting a direct exchange with Hamilton could be in the cards.
“I think he knows Toto Wolff very well,” Baretto stated.
“I know that, at Mercedes, they want consistency and they want someone who’s going to not rock the boat. They want someone who’s going to get on well with George Russell and Carlos Sainz fits that bill.”
Mercedes and Red Bull each have race seats yet to be confirmed for the 2025 season. However, Barretto thinks that Mercedes presents a more favorable opportunity for him, suggesting a direct exchange with Hamilton could be in the cards.
He emphasized, “I know, for a fact, that he could have an option at Aston Martin”.
“He can have an option at Sauber but that will become Audi in 2026, and he can have an option at Williams”.
“I know that they don’t all scream Ferrari at you but they are all teams in the potential ascendancy at different rates over the next few years”.
“So I actually think he’s in a very good spot”.
“Once he comes to terms with the fact that his time at Ferrari is over, I don’t think he’s going to be too downbeat. He’s got the potential, if he goes to Mercedes, of a car that could be fighting for race wins almost immediately”.
“If he goes to Aston Martin, he’s got a team that’s already fighting for podiums, and it’s going the right way”.
“If he goes and hooks up with his old boss Andreas Seidl at Sauber, he’s got a manager who he knows can turn things around”.
“And, if he goes to Williams, look what James Vowles has done in the course of a year and the money that they’re putting into that team. It could be a lot worse for him.”
