Marko hints at exit clause: 'If he gets a better offer, he can go'

Helmut Marko calls it "tragic" that Carlos Sainz is currently enjoying his best Formula 1 season ever, while he has long been without a permanent seat for next year. The Ferrari driver has signed with Williams for 2025, but the Red Bull Racing adviser hints at a possible exit clause in the Spaniard's contract.

Sainz will have to make way in the 2025 F1 season, leaving behind Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. For a long time, the Ferrari driver looked set to play a key role in the silly season, but there was no place for him at top teams like Red Bull and Mercedes. It was recently announced that Sainz will move to Williams next year and become Alexander Albon's new teammate there.

"It is understandable that Carlos Sainz has decided to go to Williams, because what would the alternatives be? Audi certainly won't be next year, if you look at their successes. And from Alpine, you don't know if they will get the Mercedes engine in 2025 or 2026. I would say this was still the best solution for him in his situation," the 81-year-old Austrian analysed at Speedweek.com.

"Of course, it is tragic that he is having his best season at Ferrari and cannot get a seat at a top team. But he should do better at Williams, where he also has a powerful engine. And he reportedly has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if he gets an offer from a significantly better-performing team," Marko concluded.

However, Sainz's team principal for next year James Vowles has said that this clause is pure speculation and that Sainz is committed to Williams for 2025 and '26 at the least.

This article was written in collaboration with Ben Stevens.