Outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is being considered as a potential candidate for the second seat at Red Bull in Formula 1 for the upcoming season. Sainz is currently in his final year at Ferrari after being replaced by Lewis Hamilton for 2025, despite being the only non-Red Bull driver to win an F1 race in the past 18 months. As of now, he is still without a team for next year. Sainz’s performance has been impressive, including a victory in Australia, which ended Max Verstappen’s early season dominance and marked the first non-Verstappen win since Sainz’s victory in Singapore last year. Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner jokingly referred to Sainz as their “nemesis,” but it seems that Sainz has caught Horner’s attention and is now being considered as an option for the team.
The Australian Grand Prix was a disappointing weekend for the main contenders to be Verstappen’s teammate for 2025. Sergio Perez, the current driver for Red Bull, had a strong start to the year but had to retire from the race, while Daniel Ricciardo, his primary opponent, had a terrible performance for the second Red Bull team. On the other hand, Ricciardo’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda performed excellently and scored points for Red Bull, making him a potential candidate. However, Horner suggested that Sainz could be a better option, stating that they want to field the best pairing possible and sometimes need to look outside their current pool of drivers. Horner’s hint at Sainz as a potential option was clear when asked if they would take Sainz back, to which he replied that based on his performance, any possibility couldn’t be ruled out.
It would be negligent for any team with a vacant seat for 2025, including Red Bull, to overlook the possibility of signing Sainz. He would be an upgrade over Perez and a more convincing alternative to Ricciardo or Tsunoda. Sainz is a highly skilled and underrated driver who has performed well against top drivers like Verstappen, Norris, and Leclerc. Both Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, who have worked with Sainz in the past, praised his abilities and emphasized that he is highly rated by those who know him well. Norris mentioned that Sainz is often judged based on results seen on TV, but those who have worked with him know his true capabilities. Despite a slightly underwhelming period at Renault, Sainz has proven that he can compete with the best in F1.
One potential obstacle for Sainz’s return to Red Bull is the tension that arose during his time as a rookie alongside Verstappen at Toro Rosso. Their fathers, Carlos Sainz Sr and Jos Verstappen, played significant roles in their careers, which led to a toxic atmosphere within the team. This might not be a situation that Red Bull wants to revisit, and there are speculations that Max Verstappen may not welcome Sainz’s return either. However, purely in terms of performance, Sainz should be considered as he has demonstrated his skills and ability to be in the right place at the right time. Winning the race in Australia has certainly helped Sainz’s case, proving to team principals that he is capable of achieving success when given a competitive car. Sainz races for himself and to prove to himself that he can win when given the opportunity, regardless of others’ opinions or judgments.