Carlos Sainz says he and Ferrari are "quite aligned" on the topic of a contract extension beyond 2024.
Team boss Frederic Vasseur is keen to delay any contract talks until at least the end of the season, but there are whispers that Audi is knocking on Sainz’s door as the VW-owned brand prepares for 2026 with Sauber.
It’s all good news for Spaniard Sainz, 29, who is currently riding a wave of form as the Italian media wonders if he will replace Charles Leclerc as Ferrari’s favourite driver.
Many fans and journalists said they weren’t aware until Monza and Singapore that Sainz is such an intelligent and strategically-minded driver.
"I don’t blame them," he told AS newspaper at Suzuka. "Because when you watch Formula 1, you watch the first three much more than sixth or seventh.
"We all have strong points and weak points. But I don’t want to say weak points because we are F1 drivers and no one here has any weak points. But perhaps race management is a strong point of mine," Sainz added.
And while his stock is so high after Monza and Singapore, and while Audi may be knocking, it seems like the perfect time for Sainz to accelerate those contract talks with Ferrari.
"Yes, but they also knew it before and we knew it before those two races," Sainz said.
"Obviously being in a good moment at a sporting level helps," he admitted. "But before those two races we were already quite aligned and in tune with Ferrari, with Fred and with everyone."