F1 Rumor: Carlos Sainz to Sign with Red Bull, Replacing Sergio Perez

Do you recall the 2020 Night race in Bahrain? It was Sergio Perez‘s impressive performance, from last on Lap 1 to winning the race under the lights that put him on the Red Bull radar. Carlos Sainz is doing somewhat similar to this year, with the fire in his belly after Ferrari sacked him. But as rumors would have it, Red Bull is now considering signing Sainz to replace Perez. But why? Is the second Red Bull seat a good option?

Carlos Sainz has been the only non-Red Bull driver who’s won a race during the 2023 F1 season, the 2024 season so far. Sergio Perez on the other hand started the last season strongly and then fell off the cliff in terms of performance. Regardless, comparing Perez and Sainz’s current form, one can argue both of them are pushing hard. Perez finished P2 in 3 races and Sainz was on the podium in all the races that he started. 

According to Formula1.com, Lawrence Barretto suggests that Carlos Sainz is being pursued by Red Bull to make a return to the team. He said, “Multiple sources say Red Bull has spoken to Team Sainz about a return to the Red Bull family he left during the 2017 season to join Renault. The Spaniard is in the form of his life. He has finished on the podium in every race he has started this year, including a brilliant win in Australia. He’s definitely under consideration, but Red Bull hasn’t decided if pairing him up with Verstappen again is a good idea.”

Sainz and Verstappen were teammates at Toro Rosso and it wasn’t the smoothest of lineups, with two young guns wanting to prove themselves out on track. But just like Barretto mentioned, Red Bull is thinking if they should pair Verstappen with Sainz. Carlos Sainz wouldn’t be accepting the role of a second driver at any team, especially after his recent form where he’s made Leclerc look like the No.2 driver. 

Also, being Max Verstappen’s teammate isn’t an easy task, so we highly doubt if the Spaniard would want that. He’s probably like a seat where he’s either the No.1 driver or is given equal importance to the other driver. And Mercedes does look like that option. 

Toto Wolff offers Carlos Sainz the 2025 Mercedes seat 

After Lewis Hamilton left, Toto Wolff was tasked with finding his replacement. And while the Mercedes CEO is still pursuing the Dutchman very aggressively, he also wouldn’t put all his apples in one basket and is rumored to have offered Carlos Sainz a 2-year contract to sign with Mercedes. But Sainz seems to be having an issue with the offered contract.

Mercedes has only offered the in-form Spaniard a 1+1 contract. A lonely 1-year contract with an option to extend for another, but that extension will be based on certain criteria in the contract. Sainz, on the other hand, wants a 2-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year [2+1]. The duration of the contract seems to be the holdup.

Where do you think Carlos Sainz will go? Mercedes, Red Bull, or Stake F1 that’ll be Audi soon?