Red Bull may be deceiving about hiring Carlos Sainz to challenge Sergio Perez.

The Red Bull management has been providing conflicting statements about Carlos Sainz in recent days, possibly in an attempt to pressure Sergio Perez. Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz are highly sought-after drivers in the Formula 1 market for the 2025 season. Sainz’s future is uncertain after Ferrari’s decision to hire him for the upcoming season. Red Bull may be using Sainz as leverage to undermine Perez’s position in the team for the next season. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently revealed that the team was not aware of any offer from Audi for Sainz, contradicting claims made by Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko. This contradiction suggests that one of the Red Bull leaders lied publicly to the fans. Red Bull has been open about their intentions to explore other options to replace Perez, and if Horner’s comments are true, they may be considering making a significant offer to Sainz to replace Perez. Previously, there were rumors that Red Bull rejected Perez’s demands for a two-year extension, with Marko believing that Perez performs better under pressure. This discrepancy in comments made by Red Bull leadership may be due to this difference of opinion. It is evident that Red Bull is in negotiations with Sainz, but Perez may be a better option as a second driver alongside Max Verstappen. Therefore, Red Bull may be trying to pressure Perez to achieve better results. Whether Perez will secure an extension with Red Bull for the 2025 season remains to be seen.