Carlos Sainz questions Red Bull's decision not to partner him with Max Verstappen

In the world of Formula 1, the 2025 season saw Carlos Sainz reveal his perplexity regarding Red Bull Racing's choice to pass on signing him for their second driver seat. The situation arose amid Sainz's transition to Williams after being released by Ferrari to accommodate Lewis Hamilton. Although the decision from Red Bull came during a time of underperformance by their current drivers, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, who collectively struggled to score points, Sainz had hoped for another opportunity in a team where he had previously raced alongside Verstappen at Toro Rosso. Both Sainz and Verstappen had been competitors during their early careers, with a somewhat tense rivalry emerging when they were teammates in 2015. However, Sainz emphasized his current amicable relationship with Verstappen, stating that their past rivalry has evolved into mutual respect. He suggested that their previous connection as teammates could have contributed positively to their partnership at Red Bull, and questioned why the team opted for a different direction despite this. As the season progressed, Sainz himself had been dealing with challenges at Williams, notably scoring only 13 points compared to teammate Alex Albon’s contributions that placed the team fifth in the constructors' standings. Meanwhile, Red Bull's second car continued to be plagued by points scarcity, which ultimately ruled them out of a serious title challenge, as Verstappen alone tallied the bulk of their points. Against this backdrop, Sainz's questioning of Red Bull's choice appears justified, especially given the performance issues of their current drivers. The circumstances surrounding the driver market brought to light the intricacies of F1 team dynamics and decision-making. Red Bull's choice to bring Lawson on board after excellent performance in their driver program reflects a desire to foster talent from within, but also raised the question of whether a more experienced driver like Sainz could have provided critical support for Verstappen. Overall, the decisions made around driver pairings can significantly impact team performance in a sport where margins are slim and competitive excellence is paramount.