Who is the most important person in Red Bull right now? It’s Max Verstappen; the Dutchman is said to be so influential that he gets to pick his teammate. Currently, Max is at peace with Sergio Perez, because the Mexican driver isn’t a threat to his position in the game. However, had it been someone like Fernando Alonso or Carlos Sainz, Verstappen wouldn’t have enjoyed the competition. Why? It’s better to have a ‘timid’ and cooperative teammate over a challenging one. Moreover, his days with Carlos at Toro Rosso aren’t as pleasant as one might think.

Journalist Michael Schmidt believes Max Verstappen has put a stop-cork on Carlos Sainz‘s Red Bull homecoming. There had been speculations that the Spaniard might get a seat in the Austrian racing team. But, unfortunately, the rumors remained as rumors. But why did Red Bull not pick Sainz, given he’s in great form and his consistency is worldwide famous? The reason: Max Verstappen comes first.

Schmidt holds Sainz partly responsible for the rumors of his Red Bull return, “He speculated a bit about that seat.” Only if Verstappen left the team, ‘Smooth Operator’ to his former team would’ve been a realistic deal. “Verstappen and Sainz, that’s not going to happen anymore,” the journalist notes. Christian Horner doesn’t mind the Williams-bound driver in his team, but he has no say in this. This is because the Verstappen-Sainz duo doesn’t sit well with the Flying Dutchman. “There is too much history from the time at Toro Rosso,” reminded Michael Schmidt.

It’s not hard to understand that the bitter experiences in their earlier days are influencing the decision. Moreover, Carlos was the only one to beat Max Verstappen’s test driver results in Toro Rosso. You be the judge: Why would Verstappen want a competitive teammate even if his boss wants one?

Christian Horner likes the combination of Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen

If the verdict had been up to Red Bull’s boss, Christian Horner, he wouldn’t think twice before calling Carlos Sainz. Surprisingly, the CEO approves of the Verstappen-Sainz pair. “Initially, Horner saw something in Verstappen and Sainz together, but that doesn’t sit well with Verstappen,” revealed Michael Schmidt. The pair had been teammates in the past, and that did not go down very well. Ultimately, says the German journalist, “it’s about keeping Verstappen happy, that they continue as it has worked so well up until now.”

Schmidt also claims that ‘Mad Max’ is like a law inside Red Bull. “Everyone knows what I need and what I expect from the team. I want to have my people around me,” he paraphrases the words of the 3x world champion. This power that the Dutchman owns has everything to do with Helmut Marko. We know how closely they work. So much so, that Verstappen declared he’d leave the team if the advisor left. The duo forms a formidable front. It was Helmut Marko who made sure Max landed up in Red Bull. Surprisingly, the 81-year-old advisor also made sure Carlos Sainz debuted in F1 through Red Bull. However, the Dutchman always had the upper hand, cornering Sainz on several occasions. This ultimately led to a bitter stint at Toro Rosso.

Look, the calculation is as simple as one plus one is equal to two. Red Bull does not want to mess with Max Verstappen’s system. Bringing in someone like Carlos would cause disruptions- probably hamper Verstappen’s performance and push Red Bull down the grid. This is the last thing the team wants. So to stay on the safe side, they are complying with the Dutchman’s desire to keep the Spaniard’s Red Bull as a hostage. Do you think it’s right for a driver to have so much power in his team? Share your thoughts in the comments.