Carlos Sainz door slammed shut as Max Verstappen lists his F1 legends – F1 news round-up

Try as he might, Carlos Sainz is yet to find a home for F1 2025

Tuesday’s fast-paced F1 round-up features an F1 2025 option evaporating on Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton making Max Verstappen’s list of F1 legends.

No time to waste, so let’s hammer through the day’s main F1 headlines at breakneck speed…

F1 news: Carlos Sainz F1 2025 options, Max Verstappen and more

Alpine door closes on Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz is considered a “no-go” to join Alpine for the F1 2025 season, with Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu emerging as the front-runner to replace Esteban Ocon.

Sainz remains without a confirmed seat for next year after being informed over the winter that he will be replaced by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari at the end of the season.

It has been claimed that Alpine’s talks with Sainz (and Valtteri Bottas) have not progressed, with Zhou leading the race to take Ocon’s seat.

Read more: Carlos Sainz a ‘no go’ as clear front-runner for open F1 2025 seat emerges

Carlos Sainz reveals offers from every unconfirmed F1 2025 team

Sainz himself, meanwhile, has claimed he has received a contract offer from every team yet to confirm their driver lineups for the F1 2025 season and could “sign with anyone tomorrow” if he desired.

Rumours have indicated that an announcement on Sainz’s plans for next year could arrive ahead of his home race, the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, this weekend.

The 29-year-old has teased that he will “make the decision very soon” as he wants to “get it out of the way and focus on the rest of the year with Ferrari.”

Read more: Carlos Sainz reveals contract offers from ‘every team without a driver’ as decision coming ‘soon’

Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton make Max Verstappen’s F1 legends list

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have both made Max Verstappen’s list of the top five drivers in F1 history.

Verstappen has cemented his place among F1’s greats over recent years, claiming his 50th win of the last 75 races at the recent Canadian Grand Prix, yet the reigning World Champion seems to hold Alonso and Hamilton in high regard too.

No prizes for guessing who else made the top five…

Read next: ‘Not going to agree’ – Max Verstappen reveals his all-time top five F1 drivers

Fresh doubt over Sergio Perez’s new Red Bull contract

Juan Pablo Montoya believes there is no guarantee that Sergio Perez will see out his new Red Bull contract after team principal Christian Horner revealed a key element of the deal.

Red Bull announced ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix that Perez had signed a new two-year contract to remain with the team until the end of F1 2026, though Horner seemed to hint in Montreal that the deal is actually a one-plus-one arrangement.

That little revelation has left Montoya wondering if Perez will see out the entirety of his new contract.

Read more: Key Christian Horner contract revelation puts Sergio Perez future back under scrutiny

Logan Sargeant ‘already knows’ he’s down and out at Williams

Montoya has also been discussing the future of Logan Sargeant, claiming the American “already knows” that he will be dropped by Williams even if the team haven’t yet made it official.

Sargeant has largely struggled since becoming Alex Albon’s team-mate in F1 2023, scoring just a single point in 30 starts.

With Williams heavily rumoured to be Sainz’s next destination, JPM says Sarge is aware that his days are numbered.

Read more: Logan Sargeant already ‘knows’ about Williams exit after ‘stupid mistakes’, claims Montoya