Days before the Chinese Grand Prix, Helmut Markoadvisor to Red Bull, gave news that must have shaken his team, mainly Checo Pérez, given that revealed that there is interest and talks for the Spanish Carlos Sainz to join the team next seasonsomething that could leave out the Mexican driver, who this year ends his contract with the Austrian team.
“We are talking to him, he is having his strongest season in Formula 1“, he told the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung, referring to the Spanish driver and his performance, because he is the only one who has beaten Max Verstappen in a race and has more podiums than anyone in the season, except for the Red Bull drivers, who They have three just like him.
According to his statements, the main impediment to reaching an agreement is that there is someone who seems to have the upper hand: Audi, who will enter Formula 1 in 2026 and has put an offer on the table for the Madrid native that the Austrians cannot. get over.
“(Sainz) has a very lucrative offer from Audi”he expressed.
Another drawback is that Carlos Sainz has a past with the subsidiary of the Red Bull Racing team, since from 2015 to 2017 he belonged to its ranks, although it was not entirely satisfactory for the driver.
”Although we know him from the Toro Rosso days, even then he raced with Max. But It really hurt him then when we supported Verstappen at Red Bull and not himl,” Marko recalled.
What does Carlos Sainz say about his future?
The Spaniard said that it is “a positive thing” to have “all options open”, knowing that this is his last year as a Ferrari driver and that in 2025 his place will be occupied by Lewis Hamilton, although he still does not see clearly where his place will be. , since certain things have to be accommodated and it is not yet up to himself to make the decision.
“There are very good options out there, I am going to be positive about my future. Some don’t depend on me but on other people making decisions, so I’ll wait and keep doing my thing”, he assured in a press conference days before the Chinese Grand Prix.
Regarding whether having his future up in the air affects his performance, Sainz responded with a categorical negative, although he assured that the best thing is for the doubts to be cleared up quickly.
“The sooner it develops, the better. It is better to get it out of your head,” she expressed.
“All this disappears when you put on the helmet. It doesn’t really affect me, I’ve been in Formula 1 long enough to know that some years you know before and others, later,” she said.
Finally, regarding whether he will choose a winning team over other options, he agreed, because His thing is to win, but he did not rule out considering options that offer the same in a longer term.since all the offers you have on the table have their advantages and disadvantages.
Is Checo Pérez still an option for Red Bull?
Sergio Pérez’s contract with Red Bull Racing will end as soon as the 2024 Formula 1 season ends and The Mexican does not know if he will continue with his team or will have to find accommodation in another.
However, despite the fact that some weeks Red Bull hints that they will let Checo go and in others they suggest that they will renew his contract, the most recent statement from Helmut MarkoHowever, the team’s talks with Carlos Sainz indicate that the priority for the next campaign is Pérez, but everything will depend on his performance in 2024.
“It is clear that Checo is having his best season right now. If he maintains these performances he is undoubtedly the best option for 2025 at Red Bull”, assured the team’s advisor at a press conference.
Sergio Pérez wants to stay at Red Bull
Given all the rumors about his future, the driver from Guadalajara was also questioned and made it clear that he will seek to stay at Red Bull, although he knows that the decision does not depend only on him, but he will do everything possible to make it so and he trusts that in In a few weeks I can reach an agreement with the team.
“The priority is to stay here, I think it’s just a matter of time. Decisions will be made quickly in the coming weeks, everything is going quite quickly, and it is important not to wait too long,” commented the deputy leader of the drivers’ championship for the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Keep reading:
· Carlos Sainz achieves the unthinkable: from undergoing surgery for appendicitis to winning in F1
· “I recommend that drivers remove their appendix”: Carlos Sainz’s comical suggestion in Formula 1
· Christian Horner says there is no rush at Red Bull for the renewal of “Checo” Pérez