Formula 1: Top free agent off the market with surprising new deal

Name a team, and Carlos Sainz Jr. was probably linked to them over the last six months.

The 29-year-old Spaniard entered the 2024 Formula 1 season not only without a contract to compete for Ferrari in 2025 but with the knowledge that he will not be back in Scuderia red next year, as the team announced in early February that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is set to replace him alongside Charles Leclerc.

Sainz was linked to Mercedes as Hamilton's replacement, to Red Bull as Sergio Perez's replacement, and to Audi as one of their two new drivers as they prepare for the full Sauber takeover in 2026.

When talks with all three reportedly stalled out, he was linked to Alpine as Esteban Ocon's replacement and Williams as Logan Sargeant's replacement. Before Fernando Alonso re-signed with Aston Martin, they were even referenced as a possibility.

Sainz has already competed for nearly half the teams on the Formula 1 grid, having spent time with Toro Rosso, Renault, and McLaren before joining Ferrari in 2021. So the fact that he was literally linked to more than half the grid for the 2025 season did not come as much of a surprise.

Carlos Sainz Jr. joins Williams for 2025

Red Bull have already announced a contract extension for Perez, and even if they still cut ties with him after the 2024 season like many expect them to, they appear set to turn to an in-house driver. Yes, Sainz was once an in-house driver, but that was quite a few years ago, before he joined Renault.

As for Mercedes, the window of opportunity for the three-time Grand Prix winner to join the Silver Arrows seemingly passed a while ago. Unless they somehow pry Max Verstappen free from his Red Bull contract, which they would reportedly still like to do, they appear poised to promote Kimi Antonelli from Formula 2 to be Hamilton's replacement.

Audi not signing Sainz was a bit of a surprise, as he had been linked to the team since the middle of the 2023 season, well before a Hamilton move to Ferrari was even considered a possibility.

While Sauber are currently the only scoreless team on the grid, the German manufacturer taking over in 2026 when the new rules and regulations are slated to go into effect should make a big difference, as they are aiming to be a contender straight from the get-go.

That left Sainz with Alpine and Williams as serious possibilities, and he joined the latter, pairing him with Alex Albon on a multi-year deal. His decision appeared to be a tossup, with both options offering significant risk but also significant upside.

Alpine, which could switch to Mercedes engines amid rumors of longtime manufacturer Renault leaving the sport in the near future, have made big gains since their disastrous start to the 2024 season, and their recent staff overhaul is something the Grove-based team appear to be modeling their own approach after.

Additionally, Williams plan to remain a Mercedes customer team, which should bode well for them as a new era of Formula 1 is ushered in less than two years from now. It's one of the main reasons why Alex Albon opted to sign a contract extension, rather than test the market after having reportedly drawn interest from Red Bull regarding a potential return.

All in all, Sainz's decision makes since, but it's not one that many would have seen coming a few months ago. Alas, he has finally signed with a new team, and he does indeed have plans to continue in Formula 1 once his Ferrari tenure comes to an end at the end of the 2024 season.