David Croft backs Carlos Sainz as potential replacement for Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin
Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images David Croft says Carlos Sainz might be an option for Aston Martin if Fernando Alonso calls it a day when his contract expires at the end of the season. Alonso, who turns 45 in July, has already extended his career beyond what many expected. But with Aston Martin struggling and little sign of progress, even consistently beating Lance Stroll may not be enough to keep him motivated.
Meanwhile, Sainz finds himself in another challenging situation at Williams. While retirements in China helped him pick up two points, the FW48 isn’t competitive. His recent qualifying positions – 17th in China and 16th in Japan – highlight the car’s limitations.
Carlos Sainz may find Aston Martin appealing After a promising fifth-place finish last season, Williams had high hopes for this year. But instead, they’ve slipped down the order, with the new regulations not working in their favour. With an exit clause in his contract, Sainz may soon be weighing up his options.
With Verstappen reportedly considering retirement from F1, Croft believes that Red Bull would be on Sainz’s radar as well. But Aston Martin may be a more realistic option at this stage of their respective projects. Sainz has won four Grands Prix and would become an attractive target for Lawrence Stroll if Alonso leaves.
But the 31-year-old will need convincing that Aston Martin is better positioned to climb than Williams. “Red Bull, if Max goes, would be an attractive option for Carlos,” Croft said on Sky Sports’ F1 Show . “But there are other drivers who are out of contract at the end of the year that Red Bull might be courting as well.