Stake was seemingly poised to confirm Valtteri Bottas for the 2025 F1 season but is curiously dragging its heels.
And as the 35-year-old says himself, nothing is guaranteed until "pen hits the paper".
The Finnish driver's current team-mate, Zhou Guanyu, is now widely considered to be out the running for the seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg, so it is prudent to turn attention to the rookie talent at Stake disposal.
Theo Pourchaire, Gabriel Bortoleto and Franco Colapinto offer the former Sauber entry three exciting and refreshing options.
With the experienced Hulkenberg secured for the foreseeable future and the Audi transition looming, now should be the time for the Hinwil-based outfit to opt for youth and balance in its line-up, but how do the prospective options weigh up?
Viewed by others:
Theo Pourchaire
Pourchaire, who has been a part of the Sauber Academy since 2019, is the reigning F2 champion and was once considered a shoe-in for an F1 drive.
Unfortunately for the young Frenchman, falling short to Felipe Drugovich in the 2022 F2 title fight has done his career considerable damage.
Despite being the youngest-ever race winner in the category and taking the crown at just 20-years of age, it was at the third time of asking.
The 21-year-old has also fallen victim to McLaren's oftentimes ruthless approach to driver management in IndyCar, which also has not helped his long-term single-seater prospects.
Undeniably quick, Pourchaire has at times lacked the consistency that would be required at the next level.
This was none more prevalent than when he went missing over the final few rounds of the championship fight with Drugovich two years ago, something that necessitated him u-turning on his plans to leave F2 at the end of that season.
He has been sat on the Sauber bench since, consigned to FP1 appearances and more time in the F1 support paddock or series further afield.
Pourchaire matured as a driver in 2023, clinching the F2 title despite winning just one race, the feature event at the opening round in Bahrain, underscoring his improved consistency.
If Stake does go the youth route, Pourchaire should be by no means counted out, even if his F1 career is no longer considered an inevitability.
However, the parting, and arguably most critical, point for the F2 champion is this: If Stake was going to promote him to a full-time F1 drive, wouldn't it have done so by now?
Gabriel Bortoleto
Bortoleto's name emerged in the Audi sweepstakes from what seemed like nowhere over the summer.
As his F2 title charge developed, the Brazilian was thrust into contention for the seat alongside Hulkenberg, despite being part of McLaren's young driver programme.
If the 19-year-old is able to beat Isack Hadjar to the championship, he will enter the pantheon of Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri as a back-to-back FIA F3 and F2 title winner.
Like Pourchaire, Bortoleto put together a consistent season in 2023, winning his crown with just two victories to his name.
Under the tutelage of Fernando Alonso, Bortoleto is in good hands. The two-time F1 drivers' champion is in no rush to see his protege rise to the next level, but is unconcerned about the F2 driver's McLaren links getting in the way of a seat elsewhere in the paddock.
Speaking in Singapore, the Spaniard claimed "there are never problems in Formula 1 - everything can be adjusted," when discussing Bortoleto's future, suggesting a deal with McLaren is to be had.
Understandably, that may only be a loan deal, especially given the ever-present possibility that the line-up of Lando Norris and Piastri goes the way of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
However, the Brazilian nevertheless represents an exciting prospect for Audi and, after Bottas, is widely considered the favourite to get the nod over Pourchaire and Colapinto.
Franco Colapinto
The rank outsider and dark horse candidate is undoubtedly the James Vowles-backed Colapinto.
Whilst the Argentine cannot boast the support category records of Bortoleto or Pourchaire, he possesses something more valuable, and tangible, for Stake: grand prix experience.
Since the Williams junior driver stepped into Logan Sargeant's FW46, he has made the seat his own.
Despite the end of his initial run with the Grove-based team being predetermined, on account of Carlos Sainz singing for 2025, Colapinto has impressed to the extent he is now looked at in similar vein to Liam Lawson - it is no longer a case of if, but when, his next F1 opportunity will come.
To the uninitiated, it may look like the 21-year-old was seemingly plucked from obscurity, having seldom raced for front-running teams during his junior career.
But over the course of his three grand prix, Colapinto proved any doubters wrong - and he still have six more rounds to impress.
Make no mistake, there may be difficulties ahead, but he has started life in F1 in fine form. Immediately a much closer match for Alexander Albon than Sargeant he worked through the pack well during his debut at Monza.
That P12 was followed up with points in Baku, finishing eighth and only a couple of seconds behind his team-mate.
Providing a near-instant return on investment for Williams, it took the Argentine just two races to surpass what the American achieved in 37 grand prix.
Perhaps more impressive still was his drive in Singapore, which included a gutsy dive-bomb into the first corner.
Like with Bortoleto, his parent team may want to call upon him in the future, but Colapinto represents the battle-tested option and a more-proven commodity than the other two.
Also interesting:
It has been a year since Max Verstappen won his third F1 title - with six grands prix to spare. Now Verstappen is in a fight this year, and with Red Bull under pressure to deliver him a car to retain his crown. Join RacingNews365's Ian, Sam and Nick as they discuss this and more ahead of the final six races.
Would you rather watch our podcast? If so, click here.
Most read
In this article
Join the conversation!