Carlos Sainz should be “on the list” for Mercedes and Aston Martin,🐈 the Sky Sports pundits insist.

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

He has long been linked to Audღi 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.

“Ultimately he will go to Audi and shape that🌼 team around him.

“This could be the best thing for him. What he does in the interim year wi🔯ll be interesting.

“I think this is worse news for Charles Leclerc.

“This upsets the applecart for him. He was starting 🃏🐷to bed in.

“He was pally wi📖th Vasseur and now Hamilton is even🅠 pallier!”

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

“Ultimately Car🎶los has been booted out of one of the top three cars on the grid. A car that gave him victory at the Singapore Grand𓆉 Prix.

“That’s bad news.

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

“Everyo🌸ne is connecting him to Audi because of the connection wiꦆth his dad.

“The reality♌ is, I can see him going to Aston Martin. I can see him on the phone to Toto.

“He wants to be winn🌳ing now, he’s in his 30s, he can’t💞 wait for years for Audi to get there.”

ꦑThe lin♛k between Sainz and Audi comes largely through his father.

Carlos Sainz Se�🃏�nior recently won the Dakar Rally, aged 61, driving for Audi.

“It’s brilliant what Carlos Senior has done, King Carlos the rally driver,” Dam🌄on Hill said.

“An inspiration for Junior as well.

“Definitely they will get ♔together to see what the strongest way f꧃orward 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 t🎉hink 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 wo💯n in Singapore was outstanding.

“He’d be a great catch for Aston Martin or for Mercedes. He’s got tꦰo be on their⛦ list.

“So many oꦯther drivers have long-term dඣeals and have nailed their futures down.

“He will be🐻 crestfallen to lose thꦫat Ferrari drive.”

The good news is that some high-profile vac🐓ancies are set to arise.

Merc♛edes must obviously replace Hamilton. 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 t🍨he market, possibly c🤡reating an opening at his current team.