What Sainz to Williams means for the F1 driver market

It has taken a while, but Carlos Sainz has made his choice by putting pen to paper at Williams.

The Spaniard was told several months ago that he would be leaving Ferrari at the end of the month after the Italian outfit secured the services of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Sainz received offers from Audi and Alpine but opted to put his faith in the team led by James Vowles, and will partner Alex Albon next year.

Sainz held the key to the silly season for a long time as the most desirable name on the driver market, with his choice also largely determining what would happen regarding the remaining seats. 

Starting right away with Sargeant, his F1 career is all but over. The American has not been performing to his satisfaction since his debut and has been linked with a switch to IndyCar. Prema, who will join the American racing class next year, is reportedly chasing Sargeant's signature.

Four more seats are still up for grabs, with the most pressing matter being the identity of George Russell's team-mate at Mercedes. 

Toto Wolff also seemed to briefly flirt with Sainz, but otherwise set his sights primarily on Max Verstappen or its protégé talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The arrival of Verstappen seems ruled out for 2025, so there is a good chance that Mercedes will take a gamble with Antonelli. 

Alpine, RB and Audi

Sainz opting to join Williams is a big blow to Stake F1/Audi. It put a lucrative offer on the table to bring a top driver to the brand-new factory team, but it wasn't enough.

Audi has also expressed interest in Liam Lawson, but the situation is complicated due to his ties to the Red Bull family. It is therefore possible that Valtteri Bottas will be extended, bringing another dose of experience to the team that already has Nico Hulkenberg secured. 

On Lawson, RB also has yet to appoint a second driver. Yuki Tsunoda is fixed in place for 2025, but Daniel Ricciardo's future is still uncertain. Add the fact Sergio Perez is under pressure at Red Bull and it is feasible that Lawson could get a chance. 

If the New Zealander is allowed to join the reigning world champions immediately, Ricciardo and Formula 2 championship leader Isack Hadjar appear to be the contenders to secure an RB contract.

Finally, Alpine has one more seat to fill. With Sainz no longer an option, reserve driver Jack Doohan appears to be the top favourite to step in for 2025. 

The Australian knows the team inside out, while Mick Schumacher, who drives for Alpine's endurance team is also setting his sights on the seat - but that scenario seems less likely.

With Sainz's decision out of the way, don't be surprised if the further pieces of the driver market puzzle fall into place sooner rather than later.