Sainz has been the centrepiece concerning matters not on the race track as several drivers on the grid await his choice to advance talks on their own 2025 prospects.
The Spaniard is weighing up concrete proposals from Alpine, Sauber/Audi and Williams, while Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has retracted his earlier dismissal.
However, Sainz’s protracted wait has caused some discontent among his peers as Sauber’s Guayuu Zhou stated earlier this month that the indecision was perplexing.
But while Magnussen has warned Sainz teams could get tired of waiting and move on, he reckons that the outgoing Ferrari driver has earned the right to take his time.
“He’s the big name available right now,” Magnussen said on Sainz. “All the teams that have available seats are trying to secure him.
“I think eventually some of the teams will become impatient. Or might come, I can’t say for sure. But he can’t keep holding it up.
“But I’m sure he won’t. He’s going to make the decision that is best for him. He’s rightly so, considering very carefully where he’s going.
“Not that I’ve talked to him about it, but I can imagine that he is. That’s the situation. When that lands, then all the rest will pretty quickly sort itself out.”
Magnussen acknowledged that Sainz’s status as a three-time F1 race winner makes him an attractive proposition which would be a big advantage to lower-end sides.
Asked whether it was a tough position to be in this term, Magnussen said: “In a way, yes, but it’s natural. You have a race-winning Ferrari driver suddenly available.
“And actually available only to the bottom teams. So they’re obviously seeing a big opportunity. That makes sense to me
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