Carlos Sainz is reportedly delaying a decision over his next move in🐟 the hope of landing a Mercedes or Red Bull opportunity.

Those two teams appeared to be off the table for theꩵ out-of-work Sainz, because Mercedes were prioritising Andrea Kimi Antonelli while Red B🥃ull gave Sergio Perez a new contract.

Ferrari driver Sainz - who will lose his 2025 drive to Lewis Hamilton - is holding up the entire market as he wai🐼ts to make a commitment.

Sky Sports News’ Craig Slater said about the Mercedes vacancy for next season: “Sainz is back in🍎 the frame, potentially.

“൲I’d reported he wasn’t going to go to Mercedes. That was b🍰ecause, a couple of months ago, Sainz wanted the decision on his future made by now.

“Mercedes 𒆙wanted it deferred until later in the year.

“Sainz is now waiting - not just for Mercedes💖, but because there might still be an opening at Red Bull, where Sergio P🌳erez is struggling.

“He has scored 🌱fewer points in the last six races in F1’s best car than Nico Hulkenberg has in the last two races🐭 with one of the weaker cars.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff dropped a major hi♉nt last weekend at Silverstone that Sainz had reentered his thinking🍸, after previously being ruled out.

“It’s like Bernie said, last week I have an opinion, this week I have a different one,” Wolff sai🤡d.

Teenage starlet Antonelli, who Wolff has relentജlessly talked up duriཧng his need to find a replacement for Hamilton, might not be promoted into F1 next season, after all.

“Mercedes want to take their time w🐻ith him now,” Slater said.

“He had a bꦇꦿetter weekend, won the sprint race in F2 at Silverstone.

“But they want to wait on that.”

Sainz hasജ won F1 grands prix this seaཧson, and last year during Red Bull’s dominance.

His other three options for 2025 are Sauber, Williams a⛄nd Alpine.

But he has reജfused to commit to any of those teams just yet.

As a result, other drivers on the market are unable to secure🎉 their own futures.

Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou are among the♈ drivers with uncertain futures.

Zhou eveꦕn admitted 💜his frustration with Sainz’s delays, and the knock-on effect.