Before the 2024 season even got a chance to start, Carlos Sainz received a knife in the back from Ferrari, as the team opted to sign Lewis Hamilton.

With Charles Leclerc having his seat secured with a long-team contract, Sainz had to look elsewhere, but the options were pretty limited.

At that point, the only vacant top-team seat was at Mercedes or potentially Red Bull if the team would decide to replace Sergio Perez, however, neither of those team showed interest in signing a contract with Sainz.

The Spaniard received multiple offers from Audi and Alpine, but he ultimately chose to decline them. In the end, he decided to join Williams, with an official public announcement made in July.

After the failed negotiations, Alpine has promoted reserve driver Jack Doohan to a full-time position to team up with Pierre Gasly in 2025.

Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore addressed that at this moment, the Enstone-based squad has to focus more on improving the car rather than the driver's lineup.

“There is no disappointment,” he told Motorsport Magazin.

“Carlos was an opportunity, but it was a bit too soon.

“Before we talk about drivers, we first have to talk about a competitive car, because if the car doesn’t perform, it doesn’t matter which driver you put behind the wheel.

“First of all, we have to clean house with Oliver [Oakes, Team Principal] and motivate everyone at Alpine again.”

However, it seems like the team is not quite over Sainz yet as Briatore left the door open to the Spaniard for 2026.

“A year ago, Max Verstappen was winning every race and now that the other cars are more competitive, other drivers are winning the races,” he noted.

“I don’t want to spend X million on a driver because it doesn’t make a difference.

“We are happy with Gasly and we have a young driver now, but if Carlos wants to come in 2026, we will be here.”

Alpine has struggled with a steep decline in performance under the current ground effect regulations, with both drivers, Gasly and Ocon, battling the car more than their rivals on the F1 grid.

Before the United States Grand Prix, the team sits ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with just 13 points, trying to catch Williams in eight but not succeeding.