Helmut Marko has downplayed rumours of a potential move for Carlos Sainz, asserting that the departing Ferrari driver will likely desire a resolution to his future before Red Bull makes a decision regarding Max Verstappen’s teammate for the F1 2025 season.
Currently without a seat for the forthcoming 2025 season, Sainz has emerged as a prominent figure affected by Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected shift from Mercedes to Ferrari.
Expected to garner considerable interest for the 2025 season, Sainz has frequently been associated with Audi, anticipated to assume control of the existing Sauber team in 2026, over the past year.
The question arises: Would Carlos Sainz complement Max Verstappen at Red Bull? With Sergio Perez’s existing contract set to expire at the conclusion of 2024, a reunion with the Red Bull squad remains a plausible scenario for Sainz, who commenced his F1 journey as Verstappen’s teammate at Toro Rosso in 2015.
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Recent reports suggested Red Bull had extended a first-refusal option to Alex Albon, contemplating a re-signing of the Williams driver, who faced a challenging 18-month tenure as Verstappen’s teammate in 2019/20 before yielding to Perez, on a three-year deal starting in 2026.
Addressing the matter in an interview with the Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung preceding the Bahrain Grand Prix, Marko dismissed the prospect of pursuing Albon before 2026, indicating a misalignment between Red Bull’s timeline and Sainz’s intentions, stating the team’s intention to finalise their lineup “after the summer break.”
Marko stated: “Albon is not a concern for us; he is contracted until 2025. And Sainz likely prefers to reach a decision earlier than we do.”
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While not excluding the possibility of extending Perez’s contract, Marko highlighted the significance of consistency for Perez’s prospects, remarking: “Checo needs to deliver consistently.
“It’s evident he cannot always match Verstappen’s performance.
“If he secures a second-place finish in the World Championship and clinches one or two victories, he will certainly be considered for 2025.”