David Coulthard’s surprise advice to Carlos Sainz: “Stay at Ferrari as a third driver”

Negotiations with Half the Grid
In the Formula 1 paddock over the past few months, there has been much discussion about what the future holds for Carlos Sainz. After the announcement of Lewis Hamilton as the next driver for Maranello alongside Charles Leclerc, the Spaniard has been linked to almost every team on the grid. Speculations included a move to Red Bull, joining Mercedes as Hamilton’s heir, a role with Audi as the ‘trailblazer’ for the 2026 project, and finally – as the apparently more ‘hot’ options in recent days – a transfer to Williams or Alpine.

For the Spanish driver, who won the Australian Grand Prix at the start of this season, the decision about the future seems like an endless daisy to be picked. This could be the most important career choice for Carlos Sainz, who, at 29 years old, cannot afford to make the wrong move. #55 is taking all the time possible to decide where to race next year, but now a truly peculiar piece of advice has come from former Scottish driver David Coulthard.

David Coulthard’s Surprising Advice
In the podcast he runs with Eddie Jordan, Formula For Success, David Coulthard has opened the door to an ‘extreme’ solution that no one had considered so far: Carlos Sainz remaining at Ferrari as a third driver. A seemingly counterintuitive suggestion that David Coulthard tried to argue by looking to the future and the slim chances Carlos Sainz would have of aiming elsewhere for the world title.

“Williams has said they want him, Audi obviously wants him alongside Nico Hülkenberg, but I actually think Carlos would do better to tell Ferrari: ‘Okay, I will be your reserve driver for the next two years’ – David Coulthard pointed out – because one can imagine that Lewis won’t do a third year [at Ferrari].”

Chasing the Title
David Coulthard’s reasoning is to have Carlos Sainz develop the car and then reclaim the seat to finally chase the title: “He would have two years off to stay in shape, take a small mental break from F1, and then, at 32, he could come back with a car developed together with Lewis and Charles and take control again. He could win the title. Can he win a title with Alpine in the next three years? Can he win it at Williams in the next three years? Can he do it with Audi in the next three years? One would say no,” concluded the Scotsman.