Carlos Sainz was on the market for several months after his Ferrari exit but Red Bull chose not to make a move for the Spaniard, who was once part of their driver roster
Carlos Sainz admits he’s “completely fine” with not being the right driver for Red Bull after they turned down the chance to sign him.
The Spaniard had been on the lookout for a new drive since it emerged that Lewis Hamilton was going to replace him at Ferrari. Sainz has shown himself to be a race-winning driver and originally came into Formula 1 with Red Bull’s junior team.
He moved away before a shot at Red Bull became available and the Austrian outfit opted against pursuing Sainz when he was on the market. Max Verstappen is their main man and they’ve struggled to find a competitive driver to go alongside him.
Sergio Perez’s future remains in doubt beyond this weekend’s final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi. If the Mexican is let go then the two frontrunners to replace him are Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda with Sainz accepting he’s not the profile they want.
He told the Beyond the Grid podcast: “Red Bull had me available for six months, and they didn’t pick me, and I think it’s because I simply don’t fit into the type of driver that they need right now in Red Bull – and I’m completely fine with that. If anything, they’re making me a favour.
“I don’t see myself as like a lost opportunity to not wait to December. That’s not how the Formula 1 market works. If I would have done that, I might have even been without a Formula 1 contract for ’25 if I keep Alpine, Williams or Audi waiting until this late.”
Sainz has opted to join Williams, a move that surprised many, with the Spaniard signing a long-term deal. Williams have not won a race for years nor have they shown themselves capable of challenging near the front of the grid.
For Sainz though the desire to sign him was key with their team principal James Vowles making it clear that he was their man. Williams will have the Spanish driver alongside Alex Albon, another man who was previously part of the Red Bull family.
He said: “I also have obviously an ego, and I’m going to go with the people that really want me and James I cannot explain to you how much I felt wanted and how much I felt pushed to join them, and they did an incredible job also in convincing me, because it is a project that, as I said before, I just look forward to it.”
