Christian Horner responded sharply to Dr. Helmut Marko’s recent remarks regarding Carlos Sainz, categorizing them as “pure speculation” and “improper.” The Red Bull team principal dismissed Marko’s comments on the driver market, stating that divulging such information would be inappropriate.
Marko had suggested that Sainz had received an offer from Audi that Red Bull could not match or exceed. However, Horner refuted these claims, emphasizing that they were mere conjecture.
Speculation surrounding Sainz’s future intensified after Ferrari announced they would not retain him for the 2025 F1 season, with Lewis Hamilton slated to take his place. Amidst rumors of a potential return to the Red Bull fold, there is a prevailing belief that Audi may be his ultimate destination.
While there have been talks of Sainz replacing Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull seat, speculation persists that Audi remains a strong contender for his long-term career path.
Additionally, there have been suggestions of a move to Stake F1 before Sauber transitions to Audi in 2026, a scenario that Marko has also touched upon.
“That is pure speculation,” Horner stated prior to the Chinese Grand Prix, adding: “We have no idea if and what Audi have offered Carlos [Sainz].”
Horner emphasized the significance of the three-time grand prix winner in the F1 driver market, labeling him as “key” and underscoring the inevitability of the attention he receives due to his caliber.
“It’s only natural that there’s going to be significant interest and I’m sure Audi would be foolish not to consider a driver of his quality amongst others that have seats available,” he stated, further reinforcing his firm dismissal of his colleague’s assertions.
“But it would be improper to disclose what offers are made – and it’s something that has not been disclosed to us, as to what offers have been made from other teams.”
Marko’s remarks follow a tumultuous period of internal discord and accusations within Red Bull, tarnishing its early season performance and unsettling the team, despite their strong performances on the track.
Nonetheless, Horner’s stance found backing from Stake F1 team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi, whose team has been at the heart of the rumors.
“I don’t comment about speculation,” stated the 49-year-old, maintaining a reserved stance on the matter.
“As mentioned by Christian – I fully agree with what he said – it’s not appropriate to disclose what could be the discussions in place. No one really knows what other teams are offering to the drivers… we don’t want to be part of a game that is done by others.”
