Audi opens the door to Carlos Sainz for 2027 as doubts grow over his Williams future

Mattia Binotto refused to rule out Audi’s reported interest in Carlos Sainz, while the Spanish driver considers his future after a difficult season with Williams.

Carlos Sainz could once again become one of the main names in the Formula 1 driver market. The Spanish driver, currently racing for Williams, is assessing his options for 2027, with Audi once again emerging as a potential destination.

Rumors intensified after PlanetF1 reported that Audi and Sainz’s representatives had held discussions about the possibility of the Madrid-born driver taking Nico Hülkenberg’s seat. The report even suggested that a financial agreement could have been considered to convince the German driver to give up his position.

Although those talks reportedly did not move forward and Audi is expected to retain its current 2027 lineup of Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, Mattia Binotto’s comments have kept speculation alive.

The Audi F1 CEO avoided directly denying the team’s interest in Sainz when asked about the appeal of the project among drivers available on the market.

“If people are interested in our team, I think it means they perceive that our team is taking what we are doing seriously, that our project has a clear ambition and is moving in the right direction,” Binotto said.

The comments carry additional significance because of Binotto’s previous relationship with Sainz. The Italian engineer was Ferrari team principal when the Spaniard joined the Scuderia for the 2021 season.

Meanwhile, Sainz has made it clear that he is carefully evaluating his future. The Spanish driver left for the summer break saying he would study his options “carefully,” amid frustration over the performance and development of Williams’ FW-48.

For now, most of the leading teams appear to have their 2027 driver lineups largely settled. That limits Sainz’s options, although potential opportunities could still emerge at Haas, Cadillac or Aston Martin, particularly if Fernando Alonso decides to leave Formula 1.

Remaining at Williams is still a possibility, but Audi’s comments suggest that Sainz continues to attract significant interest throughout the paddock.