Carlos Sainz does not wish to "wait any longer" to decide which Formula 1 team he races with in 2025, and hopes to have his future secured in the coming weeks.
The Spaniard has long been considering his options as he prepares to leave Ferrari at the end of the season, and it is expected that his choice has narrowed down between Williams and Sauber/Audi for next year.
Long-shot options at Red Bull and Mercedes have dwindled as the former retained Sergio Perez on an apparent 1+1 deal, while the latter team is expected to promote young hopeful Andrea Kimi Antonelli into a race drive for 2025 in place of the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
It was noted by Kevin Magnussen that Sainz has been the "cork in the bottle" for the driver market ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, and Sainz had earlier stated that he does not wish to have deciding on his future occupying his mind for too much longer.
"The latest is that a decision will be taken very soon. I don't want to wait any longer," Sainz said.
"I think it's getting to a point where it's obviously taking space out of my head for quite a few weeks and months, and I think it's obviously time to make a decision.
"I'm still not sure one way or another, it's still something that I'm discussing with my team and brainstorming.
"It's been a very hectic few couple of weeks after Canada for me. So I haven't had time to really sit down and take a decision. And this is what I will target in the next few weeks."
Sainz reckoned that it was "impossible" to make a decision based on his prospects in 2026, remarking that it was something of a "lottery" to try and predict something so soon.
He said that this means the anticipated performance in 2025 has an impact, while also trying to be aware of the teams' long-term aspirations.
"I think 2026, guessing now in 2024 who's going to be performing better, it's almost impossible," he added.
"I used the term 'a bit of a lottery', or a 'coin toss' to see who's going to be quicker in '26, given that the regulation is so different.
"So 2025 becomes important at that stage if I cannot predict '26 and I don't know who's going to be performing better.
"But it is also the long term. It is also trying to understand the power unit side. It's trying to understand the team dynamics. Uh, all these factors come into play when taking a decision.
That's why it's taking long and it's taking time for me to find some time within myself to take the decision."
Sainz is known to be top of Williams' wishlist to partner Alex Albon for 2025, but has also been courted by Audi, which has apparently made a compelling offer to the ex-McLaren driver to join Nico Hulkenberg at Hinwil.
Asked about the prospect of teaming up with Sainz at Williams, Albon stated that he did not mind who his team-mate would be, but stated that someone with Sainz's experience would be an important capture for the team.
"Truthfully on my side I'm not so opinionated or fazed about who my team-mate is. In terms of experience and general development of the team, of course it would be beneficial," Albon explained.
"We're on this long journey, on this long project, we need feedback. I look at myself back from my Red Bull days and when I joined Williams, there was a lot of things I could bring to the table which I felt was helping my feedback but also the performance of the car.
"Whoever it may be I think it would be a driver with experience that would come in and in that case, it would be important for us, especially if we want to be fighting for the midfield in the next few years."
