Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore said Carlos Sainz’s desire to be at the French team for a maximum of four years was what ultimately led to a breakdown in negotiations.

Sainz was linked with Alpine before his move to Williams was confirmed but Briatore claims the Spaniard was only interested in staying with the team for four years.

Flavio Briatore explains Carlos Sainz/Alpine breakdown

Sainz was left in an awkward spot of being at a top team but not having another one to move to with Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren choosing other drivers to fill their F1 2025 seats.

That meant a lowering of Sainz’s expectations which is where teams like Alpine and Williams came in, but it was only once Briatore was re-appointed in June that the Enstone outfit took an interest in the Spaniard.

However, no deal was ever reached and ultimately Sainz signed with Williams. As to why the 30-year-old is going to Grove and not Enstone, Briatore said Alpine were not willing to hire a driver who would not be there for a long time.

“Either he believes in our program or he doesn’t,” Briatore told AMuS. “I don’t need a driver who costs me a lot of money and is only concerned about being able to go to another team if the opportunity arises.”

Alpine ultimately chose their academy driver Jack Doohan to partner Pierre Gasly in 2025 but since the Australian’s appointment in August, there have already been plenty of rumours that Britatore is looking to swap him for Franco Colapinto.

On that matter, Briatore said “If there was an opportunity, you have to think about it.”

For Sainz’s part, his new boss James Vowles has insisted the driver is in it for the long term and not just using the Grove outfit as a stop gap before seeking a move back to a top team.

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Carlos Sainz receives key Williams boost ahead of F1 2025 move

“The message that ’25 and ’26 and beyond did not come from myself. That came from Carlos,” Vowles said of Sainz’s signing announcement.

“He wanted it to be abundantly clear to all of you, to the world, that he is committed and this is where he wants to be.

“There are precisely 10 people in the world that know what the interior and the contract holds, 10,

“But Carlos and I know what’s inside that. So, anything you’ve read on the internet is speculation, and that is it.”

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