Juan Pablo Montoya believes Red Bull and Christian Horner should address the Sergio Perez conundrum by replacing him with Carlos Sainz, despite the Spanish driver’s recent commitment to Williams. Partnering Max Verstappen is notoriously challenging, and Perez’s struggles this season have been impossible to ignore. While Max Verstappen appears destined to secure his fourth Drivers’ Championship title, Sergio Perez hasn’t stepped onto the podium since Shanghai in April, raising questions about his future with the team.
Although Red Bull has publicly supported Sergio Perez for the 2025 season, growing calls suggest the Mexican’s time with the team should end. Montoya, a former Williams and McLaren driver, has offered a solution he feels makes perfect sense: recruit Carlos Sainz to partner Max Verstappen. Despite the Spaniard signing a multi-year contract with Williams in July, Juan Pablo Montoya argues that the emergence of Franco Colapinto could pave the way for such a deal.
Franco Colapinto has been a revelation since his promotion to the Williams team in August, scoring points in just his second race and continuing to impress. However, with Williams already securing Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon for 2025, Franco Colapinto currently lacks a confirmed seat. This predicament has reportedly led to discussions between Red Bull and the Argentinian talent about a potential role at their sister team, AlphaTauri. However, Liam Lawson, who had a notable on-track clash with Perez in Mexico, is also a strong contender for that spot.
“If I were Horner, I would go to Williams and tell them: ‘If you are happy with Colapinto, keep him and give me Carlos Sainz’,” Montoya told W Radio in collaboration with AS Colombia.
Montoya contends that a rookie acquisition, like Franco Colapinto or Liam Lawson, won’t resolve Red Bull’s issues. Instead, he proposes a straightforward solution: convince Carlos Sainz to leave Williams, giving Franco Colapinto a permanent place alongside Alex Albon, and fill Red Bull’s second seat with a proven and consistent talent. Juan Pablo Montoya argues this approach would stabilize the team while addressing the persistent challenges posed by Perez’s recent underperformance.
“Why risk replacing Checo [in the future], an experienced driver who has won races, to put a rookie next to Max? Max does not fail. Knowing Carlos, he will have told Williams that he has signed for them, but if he doesn’t win or get podiums, he can leave if he receives another offer. [Red Bull] could tell Williams: ‘You can lose Carlos now or in a year. Now you would have money, in a year you won’t.’ That is the move I would make if I were Red Bull. I would go for Carlos.” – the former F1 driver pointed out.
Juan Pablo Montoya believes the biggest obstacle to executing an ambitious plan to lure Carlos Sainz away from Williams could be Sergio Perez himself. As a 34-year-old veteran with a contract tying him to Red Bull until 2026, the Mexican presents a significant challenge for any attempts to displace him from the team: “The problem is that Checo insists that he will continue there, and I also believe that he will continue on the grid next year; although I think they want to get him out of there, I don’t think he will just give up,” Juan Pablo Montoya added. “Checo is being pushed to the limit, it’s not easy for him. He’s in a horrible position because I think everyone wants him out. Whether he deserves it, I don’t know. We don’t know what happens behind closed doors, but a lot of people are trying to get another driver in that car.” – the former Williams driver concluded.
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