Carlos Sainz prepares to drive in the garage during Formula 1 testing at Yas Marina Circuit on December 10, 2024 - Source: Getty
Special advisor to Alpine F1 team, Flavio Briatore, recently spoke about the French team's decision not to sign Carlos Sainz for the upcoming season. He talked about the main reason being that they didn't want to bring on the Spanish driver for the short-term, and would have preferred to sign him for a few years at least given his capabilities.
Briatore, in an interview with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, discussed Alpine's strategy as they move forward in the sport, including the decision not to bring in Sainz, who left Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season. Briatore brought up the fact that they did have conversations with the driver, saying:
"I talked to Sainz. We were interested in him, but only for four years. It makes no sense to hire a driver like Carlos for one or two years. He either believes in the project, or he doesn’t. I don’t need a driver who will cost me a lot of money and is looking to go to another team when the opportunity arises."
