Carlos Sainz hints that Red Bull have already made big mistake: ‘If I were a team boss’…read more
Carlos Sainz has hinted that Red Bull may have made a significant mistake for the 2025 Formula 1 season by overlooking him, despite being a product of their driver academy. Sainz, who made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) a decade ago, was available after Ferrari decided not to renew his contract. The Spanish driver, who has won multiple Grand Prix races and consistently pushed teammate Charles Leclerc, was expecting a potential return to Red Bull. However, the team chose to promote either Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson instead, both of whom have less experience.
Sainz’s potential return to Red Bull was an interesting proposition, as he would have brought a wealth of experience, having already proven his capabilities at Ferrari. However, Red Bull decided to extend Sergio Perez’s contract for the 2025 season before ultimately performing a U-turn. Perez’s performance started to decline after the early races in the 2024 season, prompting the team to negotiate an early exit for the Mexican driver. By mid-December, Red Bull had officially confirmed their decision, while Sainz had already committed to joining Williams back in August.
Red Bull’s choice to go with Lawson, who has only 11 F1 race starts and six points to his name, over a more experienced driver like Sainz, raised some eyebrows. Despite Lawson’s potential, he cannot yet be considered an elite driver. Red Bull’s decision seems to reflect their strategy of sticking with their own academy drivers, like Tsunoda and Lawson, rather than bringing in a proven star like Sainz, who might have been able to provide an immediate boost to their title fight.
Sainz, speaking to SoyMotor, appeared to subtly criticize Red Bull’s decision, suggesting that the most successful teams in Formula 1 follow a model of pairing two top drivers, something he believes Red Bull has failed to adopt for 2025. Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams, all of which have strong driver pairings, seem to have a better approach according to Sainz, as they can rely on the competitive edge of having two elite drivers who can push each other and the team forward. He implied that Red Bull’s decision to not sign two top-level drivers for 2025 may be a mistake, potentially weakening their efforts for the upcoming season.
While Lawson’s appointment could turn out to be a success, Red Bull’s gamble on an unproven driver could leave them vulnerable, especially with stronger pairings at McLaren and Ferrari. Sainz’s comments suggest that Red Bull could regret not opting for a more experienced, high-caliber driver alongside Max Verstappen, particularly with the increased competition in the 2025 season.
