Ex-F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya is urging Red Bull to shift their focus toward signing Carlos Sainz from Williams rather than taking a gamble on rookie Franco Colapinto. With Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat reportedly at risk despite his contract running through 2026, Montoya believes that Sainz’s experience makes him a better candidate to go head-to-head with Max Verstappen in 2025.
Sainz’s recent move to Williams—where he’ll partner Alex Albon next season—has complicated matters, especially as Colapinto, who replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams mid-season, has emerged as a potential replacement for Perez. But Montoya suggests Red Bull might be better off negotiating with Williams for Sainz, leveraging any exit clauses in his Williams contract.
“If I were Christian Horner, I’d go to Williams and say, ‘look, you’re happy with Colapinto, keep him and give me Sainz,’” Montoya told W Radio Colombia. “Why risk putting a rookie up against Max when you can bring in someone like Carlos, who knows the game? Max doesn’t make mistakes—why throw in a rookie to sink or swim?”
The Colombian F1 veteran sees a potential strategic advantage in Red Bull’s securing Sainz, who joined the series under Red Bull’s development program in 2015. Sainz’s experience with Ferrari and his recent move to Williams give him a skillset Montoya says is tailor-made for Red Bull’s intense team environment. He speculates that Sainz may even have an exit clause in his Williams contract, allowing him to leave if a top team expresses interest.
Montoya further suggests that Red Bull should offer Williams a monetary incentive to secure Sainz before his contract ends, noting, “If Williams really values Colapinto’s growth, Red Bull could give them the option: take the money now and let Carlos go, or keep him for a year with no guarantee.”
Montoya’s call for Red Bull to act on Sainz adds fresh intrigue to the driver market, putting pressure on Red Bull to consider how best to fortify their lineup for a competitive 2025 season.
