Carlos Sainz is confident he could have formed a successful partnership with Max Verstappen at Red Bull, despite the team’s decision not to sign him for 2025. With Lewis Hamilton set to replace him at Ferrari next season, Sainz was rumored to be in the mix to join Red Bull, potentially replacing the struggling Sergio Perez. However, Red Bull boss Christian Horner shut down these speculations, reaffirming the team’s commitment to Perez.
Red Bull’s reluctance to reunite Sainz and Verstappen is believed to be tied to their tense history as teammates at Toro Rosso in 2015. But Sainz, reflecting on those days, believes that the intense rivalry stemmed more from the situation than any fundamental personality clash. “At Toro Rosso, they put you in a team and say: fight each other, then we’ll see who’s the best and who gets promoted to Red Bull!” Sainz told Auto Motor und Sport. Now, with both drivers more mature, Sainz is convinced things would be different.
Pointing to his seamless relationships with past teammates like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, Sainz argued that he and Verstappen could have worked together just as well. “If my relationship with Max was the reason why I didn’t end up there, then I would say that there would have been no problems,” he said, adding, “I’ve already told them that.”
With Red Bull opting to stick with Perez and Mercedes choosing Andrea Kimi Antonelli to succeed Hamilton, Sainz weighed his remaining options and decided to sign with Williams. The Grove-based team, led by James Vowles, presented a rebuilding project that Sainz found compelling. “It was not an easy decision,” he admitted. “I wanted to achieve good results in the short term, and in my opinion, Williams was the best option.”
Sainz revealed that despite his father’s encouragement to join Audi-backed Sauber, his instincts pointed him toward Williams. “My gut feeling told me that this project with James Vowles was the best solution in the short and medium term,” he said, confident that Williams can offer the blend of competitiveness and growth he’s seeking.
As Sainz embarks on this new chapter with Williams, only time will tell if his choice will bring him closer to the success he’s hungry for. For now, the Spaniard is ready to prove that he’s made the right move.
