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Haas driver Kevin Magnussen labeled Ferrari's Carlos Sainz as the driver market's "cork in the bottle" as F1's 'silly season' has been very inactive amidst his departure from Ferrari at the end of this season. Currently, he has not confirmed his move but has been reported to be in contact with multiple teams.
Lewis Hamilton's move to the Italian team in the 2025 F1 season was perhaps the biggest news before the start of the current season. However, the question of Sainz's future team has been building up ever since. He was earlier speculated to be in contact with multiple teams like Mercedes, Red Bull, and Audi, however, nothing has been confirmed so far.
Interestingly, the activity in the driver market has also been minimal. Kevin Magnussen, who also has a contract till the end of this year, pointed Carlos Sainz out for this inactivity. He said to the media in Spain:
"He is! Carlos is the cork in the bottle."
"I think a lot of guys are waiting for him to make a move and then eventually all the other pieces of the puzzle will fall. That’s the truth of that."
However, the 29-year-old disclosed a little about his future recently.
"I will decide very soon": Carlos Sainz on his future F1 team
With Red Bull signing Sergio Perez for another two seasons and Mercedes seemingly too focused on their junior driver Andre Kimi Antonelli, the options for Sainz are closing up.
However, speaking to the media on his home ground, Carlos Sainz stated that he will "decide" his future team "very soon." He further added that it is so that he can focus on the remaining of his final season with Ferrari.
"I have everything on the table and I will decide very soon because I want to get rid of thoughts about the future and concentrate on the rest of the season with Ferrari. This year I have a car that allows me to aim for the podium and be able to win some races, I want to be focused on the goal."
Reports also suggest that he might move to Williams and partner Alex Albon in the next season. Although the team is one of the least-performing ones on the grid currently, a good driver lineup paired with the 2026 engine regulations might give them a chance to perform better.
Focusing on the present, Carlos Sainz has been performing decently this season. He won the Australian Grand Prix and has been on the podium on three more occasions.
