Carlos Sainz remains a strong contender to join forces with Max Verstappen at Red Bull, as affirmed by team principal Christian Horner.
Despite lacking a contract for the 2025 season, Sainz’s skillset makes him an enticing option for multiple teams throughout the grid. The intrigue lies in which opportunity will materialize for the Ferrari driver in the forthcoming months.
Following the initial day of Free Practice in Australia, attention centered on Charles Leclerc’s potential to disrupt Max Verstappen’s dominant streak. The 26-year-old showcased his prowess by leading the timing charts in both qualifying and race simulations.
However, it was Carlos Sainz, Leclerc’s teammate, who secured a front-row start in qualifying. Demonstrating impressive racecraft, Sainz swiftly claimed the lead early in the race and proceeded to assert his dominance over the Australian Grand Prix.
Among the Spaniard’s three triumphs for the Scuderia, today’s victory arguably stands out as the most convincing in terms of performance. While his win in Singapore last year showcased defensive brilliance, today’s display suggests that the 29-year-old was a cut above the rest.
With Sergio Perez failing to secure a podium finish in the RB20, speculation inevitably arises regarding his future with the team. Today’s outcome serves as an early indication that Red Bull may not replicate their 2023 dominance in the upcoming season.
Christian Horner of Red Bull clarified that all possibilities, including Sainz, are being carefully considered.
Initially prompted about the prospects of Tsunoda and Ricciardo earning promotions, Horner underscored the team’s willingness to explore options beyond their existing pool of drivers, stating, “We want to field the best pairing that we can, and sometimes you’ve got to look outside the pool.
“You’ve had a very fast unemployed driver [Sainz] win today’s race, so the market is reasonably fluid.”
Red Bull indeed boasts two drivers in their junior team, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, who could theoretically be considered for promotion.
However, there haven’t been many clear indications from the Austrian team that Tsunoda, despite his consistent progress, is being groomed as a future teammate for Verstappen.
While circumstances could evolve, Horner’s remarks suggest that Red Bull is open to exploring options beyond its driver academy for the 2025 season.
In such a scenario, Carlos Sainz emerges as a compelling contender. It would hold a certain poetic charm for the three-time race winner to finally don the Red Bull colors. His departure to Renault in 2017 was largely catalyzed by the lack of opportunities at Red Bull.
As the current season has already demonstrated, Formula 1 has a knack for delivering surprises both on and off the track.
