Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz Lead as the Top F1 Drivers Available for the 2025 Season

(Photo : Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton (3L) greets RB's Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda (3R) as RB's Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo (L) Ferrari's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc (2L) Ferrari's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr (2R) and Red Bull Racing's Mexican driver Sergio Perez (R) look on before posing for a group photograph ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on March 2, 2024.

The timing couldn't be better for these two drivers in looking for a competitive F1 seat. These drivers are Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and VCARB's Yuki Tsunoda. Sainz and Tsunoda have been impressive on opposite ends of the F1 grid, showing that they could both push their given car to the limits.

Yuki Tsunoda has been driving clean and fast in his VCARB 01, outperforming teammate Daniel Ricciardo for the most part this season so far. And Carlos Sainz, who is the topic of many stories surrounding Formula 1, is showing the pace of the SF-24 this season, helping the Scuderia close the gap to Red Bull.

Sainz displayed this in his win of the most recent Grand Prix in Australia. And this is whom we will start with in discussing their future seat in F1.

Why Is This a Good Move For Carlos Sainz?

It's actually pretty simple. Sainz is and has been a talented, consistent, reliable, fast, and smart driver for each of his teams he raced for; also including that he is second to none as a great teammate to his fellow drivers.

Despite this, Sainz has unfortunately been put in the second driver role for each of the teams he has raced for. So far this season, Carlos Sainz has shown the ability to be, and should very well be in the demand as, the premier driver; or at least in a F1 championship caliber car, to whichever team he lands on.

Carlos Sainz is peaking in his form at the right time, showing his worth to other competitive teams. Mercedes may be on a bit of a downfall, but we do have some faith that they could right the ship in 2025. Aston Martin is another team Sainz could land on as a number one driver if they choose to move on from the aging Spaniard in Fernando Alonso, and to the more youthful Carlos Sainz.

Could Carlos Sainz Join Red Bull as a Number One Driver?

What this opportunity could really set up is a Carlos Sainz move to Red Bull. There are rumors that Sainz could rejoin his former Toro Rosso teammate in Verstappen. But what if Verstappen wants out of Red Bull and makes the move to Mercedes? This could undoubtedly swing Sainz as the number one driver in a beyond competitive Red Bull car.

To see Carlos Sainz move on to a less competitive team would be a disservice to him and fans of F1. Even a move to Mercedes would be underwhelming for the Spanish talent, as Mercedes haven't gotten it exactly right in the past couple years.

Any competitive team with a vacant seat for 2025 should without a doubt be looking in Sainz's direction; and being that it is taking longer for him to find a seat, this could mean that a Red Bull spot could actually be opening up in 2025.

Yuki Tsunoda Is a Gem at the Back of the Grid

Tsunoda so far through the 2024 F1 season has impressed many, especially now by pulling in a points finish in Australia. He finished P7, scoring 6 championship points, in the Australian Grand Prix.

Before the race in Melbourne, Yuki Tsunoda did finish behind the points at P15 in Saudi Arabia and P14 in Bahrain. The VCARB 01 is by no means a competitive car, so for Tsunoda to hurl it into the points in Australia is an admirable feat. Also, Yuki has shown some temperament improvements since after his outburst in the Bahrain Grand Prix; when switching places with Daniel Ricciardo.

Where Could Yuki Tsunoda End Up?

The Japanese driver could really have his eye on the second Red Bull seat. Other drivers in the market, like Carlos Sainz, may be a preference for the Austrian team; being that he would be the less risky option for the F1 team with a championship caliber car.

Mercedes is another option in need of a second driver. Tsunoda might have more luck in this move being that the German Constructor has made it clear that George Russell will be the number one driver, so Yuki may not have as much pressure on him to perform as he would with joining Red Bull.

Same goes for Tsunoda if he were to even make a move to Aston Martin, where he would be teaming up with Lance Stroll. Stroll doesn't seem to be moving from his seat anytime soon, so Yuki may not have too much competition in becoming the preferred driver.