The anticipation amid Formula 1's so-called 'silly season' intensified as stakeholders gathered in Austria before the upcoming grand prix this weekend.
Aston Martin announced that Lance Stroll would continue with his father's team, and similarly, Alpine disclosed its renewed agreement with Pierre Gasly as anticipated.
"We now have to focus on improving the package we have," Alpine team leader Bruno Famin remarked. "We are taking our time with the confirmation of his (Gasly's) teammate, as we have some good options available."
Carlos Sainz, favored by Alpine, mentioned on Thursday his preference to avoid distractions related to decisions and signings during the intense F1 triple-header.
"We're all waiting for what Carlos decides at the end of the day," stated Sauber's Guanyu Zhou. "Hopefully he can make his decision sooner," he continued, amid rumors that if Sainz does not commit to the Audi-backed project, Zhou or Valtteri Bottas might still have a chance.
"I feel like I'm not done with Formula 1 yet," expressed Bottas in Austria, confirming he has up to three prospects for 2025, which includes possibly remaining at Sauber. "I'm not ready to retire. But in this sport, it's not all about results. There's nationality, sponsorship, things like that. That's the nature of the game and it's not always fair," the Finn added.
Logan Sargeant from Williams also shared his concerns about his F1 career potentially concluding, admitting on Thursday: "I'm exploring all options within and outside of F1 at the moment."
And Kevin Magnussen, seemingly resigned to considering life beyond Formula 1, stated, "It has been a long journey," and remarked, "and every year I have spent in the middle or at the back of the pack.
"If I'm at the end now, it means my (F1) career is empty. I still watch some of the races like Le Mans, Indy 500, Nascar, and I see the guys in there they look so happy. There's a lot of great stuff outside of Formula 1," added the Dane.
