Sauber already made one of many first strikes of the 2025 driver market by signing Nico Hulkenberg from Haas on a multi-year deal, which takes the German into its first 12 months because the Audi manufacturing unit crew in 2026.
With Lewis Hamilton transferring from Mercedes to take his Ferrari seat subsequent 12 months, Sainz is the most popular property who’s at present not beneath contract for 2025. The 29-year-old already has hyperlinks to Audi by way of his father’s Dakar Rally outings, which embody victory within the 2024 occasion.
When requested by Motorsport.com about his shortlist for the remaining seat in 2025, Alunni Bravi – who can be the managing director of the Sauber Group – quipped that “all of the groups have a brief checklist!”
“All people is aware of that there’s a high driver that’s out there available in the market, it is Carlos Sainz,” he mentioned. “I believe that everyone, you realize, wish to have Carlos on board.
“He is likely one of the finest drivers. He reveals [himself] to be extraordinarily mature, a superb driver to develop the automotive, to drive the crew for the event, however on the identical time very constant, very robust each in qualifying and race. And I believe that Ferrari has among the best pair of drivers.
“However we all know additionally that the drivers market just isn’t relying simply by ourself. It’s relying on various factors. And there are numerous groups which might be discussing with drivers. And I believe that there are a number of choices for our crew.
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Group Kick Sauber, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Group Consultant, Stake F1 Group Kick Sauber
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“And we’ll consider, however now that we introduced Nico there isn’t a rush to make this alternative. We’re nonetheless on the very starting.”
When pushed on what stage talks have reached, and whether or not his present drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are nonetheless choices, Alunni Bravi mentioned no selections had been taken.
“We’re talking with [Sainz] and different drivers,” he mentioned. “Additionally with our present drivers.
“However because of this we’ve got no rush, as a result of now we secured one of many two seats. Now we will have extra time. The choice just isn’t a simple one. As a result of, in fact, we’ve got two good drivers which have been with us for 3 years, which might be performing properly.
“There’s Carlos, there are different drivers, and we have to perceive – as a result of right here we’re taking a call that isn’t simply impacting 2025 but additionally the way forward for the Audi works crew.
“So, I might say the length of the contract, what might be the mix… the motive force line-up is necessary. It’s not simply the choice of a single driver. And all of the choices are on the desk, ranging from our present two drivers and discover [the one] that might match into the general venture.”
An alternative choice which stays out there to Sainz is rejoining the Purple Bull secure, which he left after it missed him in favour of Max Verstappen in 2016.
However final month Purple Bull’s Helmut Marko revealed that Sainz “has a really profitable provide from Audi that we won’t match or beat”.
Further reporting by Mandy Curi