Carlos Sainz Jr., currently racing for Williams Racing in the 2025 Formula 1 season, has opened up about the scenario in which he could have joined forces with reigning world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. The Spanish driver, who began his Formula 1 career with Scuderia Toro Rosso (now known as Visa Cash App RB), was once teammates with Verstappen during their rookie season in the sport. After parting ways with Scuderia Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season, Sainz was widely seen as a strong candidate to return to the Red Bull Racing organization. However, the team ultimately decided to pursue alternative options, leaving Sainz puzzled by the choice.
The 30-year-old Spaniard expressed confusion over Red Bull’s decision, especially given his past relationship and professional rapport with Max Verstappen. While Red Bull Racing has an active and competitive Junior Driver Program, the Milton Keynes-based team opted to focus on its development drivers instead. This strategy saw Isack Hadjar promoted to a Formula 1 seat and Liam Lawson momentarily moved into the main team. However, that experiment was short-lived, with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda stepping back into the race seat during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.
Now, all eyes are on young Arvid Lindblad as the next prospect expected to make the jump from the FIA Formula 2 Championship to the pinnacle of motorsport. Despite the forward momentum in the Red Bull junior ranks, Sainz admitted he still finds it hard to understand why the team chose not to consider him seriously for a return.
Sainz Shares His Doubts
Following his replacement at Ferrari by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz found himself without a race seat for the 2025 season. Red Bull appeared to be a natural and potentially ideal destination—offering the chance to rejoin Verstappen and fight at the front. Yet, while Sainz was reportedly open to the idea, the team’s management did not share the same vision. As a result, the Spaniard signed with Williams Racing to partner Alex Albon.
Reflecting on the situation, Sainz remarked that while he and Verstappen were once rivals during their early days at Toro Rosso, their rivalry was respectful and ultimately constructive. The two now share a strong personal and professional relationship. In his view, that foundation would have made them a powerful and harmonious pairing.
“We had a rivalry during our first year in Formula 1 at Toro Rosso, but it was a healthy one between me and Max,” Sainz explained. “Now we get along very well. So, if that’s the reason, I don’t understand why they wouldn’t want me alongside Max. We would be a very strong driver pairing. Everyone is struggling as his teammate these days. All I can say is that when I was his teammate, I didn’t have those kinds of problems.”
The Spanish driver’s comments are not entirely unfounded when considering Max Verstappen’s dominance over his teammates during the past two seasons. Red Bull Racing may have opted to avoid potential friction within the team garage by not pairing two strong and assertive personalities. However, that decision arguably came at a cost. By not fielding a consistently competitive second driver, the team missed out on a significant number of points—an issue that ultimately contributed to the loss of the Constructors’ Championship title in 2024.
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