Sebastian Vettel reportedly visited all of his former teams in Monte Carlo last week, met with Lewis Hamilton & finished his trip to Monaco off with a Ferrari dinner.
According to rumors, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali offered Vettel the role of Sustainability Manager in F1.
It’s now up to Vettel whether to accept the offer or not.
Asked if that meant he would like to have his future resolved before the end of the 2023 season, Sainz added: “Not necessarily this year but before the start of next year or during the start of next year.”
Sainz wants the speculation about him to be short-lived.
“Obviously I don’t want to reveal my contract negotiation strategies because that’s something I never reveal,” he said.
“But if you’ve heard my interviews in the past, I’ve always said that I like to start the season knowing where I’ll be racing next year because I went through that experience at Renault and it didn’t suit me at all.
“It is not necessary to get a contract this year, but at least before the beginning of next year or at the very beginning of it,” he added.
However, he insisted that he isn’t overly worried about the rumours.
“Honestly no, because in the end I don’t think it’s necessary,” said Sainz.
“I know that at this time of year there are always rumours like this – it’s the time of the silly season. I’ve been in F1 long enough, over eight years, to know it’s that time of the year.”
Sainz, who has also been linked with a move to Audi when the German manufacturer enters F1 in 2026, says his main priority is to avoid a repeat of 2018 when he drove for Renault without knowing where he would be the following season.
“Obviously I don’t want to reveal what my strategies are in terms of contractual negotiations because it’s something that I never disclose,” Sainz said.
Sainz’s current deal with Ferrari expires at the end of next season, but recent reports claimed the Italian team were keen to sign Lewis Hamilton, who is currently only contracted to Mercedes until the end of 2023.
Hamilton and Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur both dismissed the reports ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, but uncertainty remains over the Spaniard’s future after an unconvincing start to his 2023 campaign.
