F1 team boss warns star driver's seat under threat for 2025

Drivers, 2024, Generic, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 team boss warns star driver's seat under threat for 2025

A current driver could lose their seat for 2025 according to their team principal.

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 23 May 2024 15:57

A F1 team boss has hinted that their star driver's seat is under threat going into 2025.

Driver market speculation began early this year, when Lewis Hamilton announced he was leaving Mercedes and moving to Ferrari for 2025.

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As a result, incumbent driver Carlos Sainz does not have a drive for next year, with his eventual destination being widely speculated upon.

A swap with Hamilton at Mercedes seems unlikely, following their public support for academy driver Kimi Andrea Antonelli.

Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025

Kimi Andrea Antonelli may replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

Where will Carlos Sainz race in 2025?

The most realistic option for the Spaniard is Sauber, soon to become Audi for the next regulation change in 2026.

Sauber/Audi recently announced that Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg would be joining them from 2025, leaving an empty seat alongside Kevin Magnussen.

Since his impressive debut with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia, Ollie Bearman has been tipped to join Haas, driving with the team during FP1 in Imola.

However, a Bearman/Magnussen line-up at Haas next year is not guaranteed, according to team boss Ayao Komatsu.

“I can’t say much, but of course, yes - he needs to perform," Komatsu said to SpeedCity Broadcasting at Imola. "Kevin needs to put the whole weekend together.”

“I think the good thing is we are performing out on the track, that’s why it’s so frustrating that we should have had P10. Then other people will see that we are a proper race team now.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu reveals Magnussen's seat might be under threat

"Our best chance to attract good drivers is through the on-track sporting stuff, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”

When asked about the driver’s Haas were trying to attract, Komatsu remained tight-lipped.

“I can’t, that would be very unfair to the people I am talking to,” he said. “You wouldn’t be happy if you were talking to me in confidence and I said I’m talking to you about something!”

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Toto Wolff Carlos Sainz Kimi Andrea Antonelli