Carlos Sainz should be “on the list” f♒or Mercedes and Aston Martin, the Sky Sports pundits insist.

Sainz will lose his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilt💞on next yಌear - as the victim of F1’s stunning driver move.

He𒈔 has long been linked to Audi who will complete t♊heir entry into F1 for 2026 but he could become a target for other rival teams too.

“I don’t believe, although it may not feel it at the moment, that this is a bad thing for Sainz,” Natalie Pinkham said 🔯on the Sky F1 show.

“U꧙ltimately he will go to Audi and shape that team around hi𓃲m.

“This could be th🍌e best thing for him. What he does in the interim year will be interesting.

“I think this is worse news for Charles Leclerc.

“T🦹his upsets the applecart for him. He was starting to bed in.

“He was pally with Vꦜasseur and now Hamilton is even pallier!”

Karun Chandhok disagreed: “Yes, buꦕt this isn’t a sport about making friends.

“Ulti⛎mately Carlos has been booted out of one of the top three cars on the grid. A car that gave him victory at the Singapore Grand Prix.

“That’s bad news.

“Audi? They are not going to arrive and be atꦕ the front of the grid. It’s years away.

“Everyone is connecting him to Audi because of the connection with his🌳 dad.

“The reality is, I can see him going to A🥂ston Martin. I ca♚n see him on the phone to Toto.

“He wants to be winning now, he’s in his 30s, he can’t🎃 wait for years for Audi to get there.”

The link between Sainz and Audi comes largelꦏy through his father.

Carlos Sainz Senior recently wo☂n the Dakar Rally, aged 61, driving for Audi.

“It’s brilliant what Carlos Senior has done, King Carlos the rally driver,” Damon Hill said🐽.

“An inspiration for Junior as well.

“Definitely they will get together to see what the str🃏ong☂est way forward is.

“Can he go to Mercedes? Red Bull?”

Pinkham replied: “That makes sense.”

Martin Brundle added: 🌳“I’m 💃a big fan of his, Carlos Jr.

“I think he’s got the tenacity of his dad.

“I don’t think he’s got the speed of💖 Leclerc, but he’s always there at the end of a grand prix.

“He’s very smart. The way he won in Singapore♎ was outs👍tanding.

“He’d be a great catch for Aston Martin or for Mercedes. He’s got to be 𓂃on their🌱 list.

“So many other drivers have long-term dealܫs an🎉d have nailed their futures down.

“H✱e will be crestfallen to lose that Ferrari drive.”

The good news is that some high-profile vacancies are set to aꦏrise.

Mercedes must obviously replace Hamiꦗlton. And Sergio Perez remains under pressure to keep hold of his Red Bull seat.

Fernanndo Alonso’s expiring contract at Aston Martin means 🧜he could be on the market, possibly creating an opening at his current ꧟team.