Austrian former professional racing driver and a current director of the Red Bull Formula One teams, and head of Red Bull’s driver development programme, Helmut Marko, has hinted at additional details regarding Audi’s offer to Carlos Sainz, emphasizing that Red Bull will not succumb to pressure.
With Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz set to lose his seat to Lewis Hamilton at the end of the current Formula 1 championship, the Spaniard has become a focal point in the Formula 1 driver market. As a free agent, Carlos Sainz has several options on the table, including Red Bull, Mercedes, or Sauber, which will transition to Audi in a year’s time.
The Austrian side could potentially extend an offer to Carlos Sainz to partner with Max Verstappen if they decide to part ways with Sergio Perez next season, with the Mexican continuing to show fluctuating performances. However, Helmut Marko maintains that Red Bull will not be swayed solely by Audi’s interest in Carlos Sainz in order to present a better offer.
“Sainz is currently in great shape,” Helmut Marko explained in a recent interview for OE24, the online portal of the newspaper AUSTRIA – “I think he has a very great three-year offer from Audi. But he has to make a decision relatively soon. We, on the other hand, won’t make a decision soon. We won’t let things like that put us under pressure.”
The rumored three-year offer would see Carlos Sainz contracted until 2027, coinciding with the second year of the new Formula 1 rules and regulations. However, it would entail his first year at Sauber next F1 campaign. Carlos Sainz, who emerged from the Red Bull junior program, previously partnered with Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso for a short period of time.
“Well, he was still very young back then,” Helmut Marko recalled – “But now he has developed great and is showing incredible form.”
Carlos Sainz has emerged victorious in the only two F1 Grand Prix races in the last two years where Red Bull fell short. His recent triumph at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne this season came shortly after recovering from appendix surgery, which forced him to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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Red Bull might consider reintegrating him into their team at the expense of Sergio Perez, who has showcased impressive form this year. The Mexican has secured three second-place finishes and a third-place finish just last week at the Chinese Grand Prix, making a strong case for a contract renewal, but still lacks the consistency needed to get closer to his Red Bull teammate.
However, Audi’s interest in Carlos Sainz is causing delays in the driver market. Until 2026, they will compete under the Sauber name before the new regulations take effect. Afterward, Audi plans to make a significant impact immediately and is currently finalizing their driver lineup. The Spaniard has a connection with the manufacturer due to his father’s victory in the Dakar Rally with them. However, a move to Sauber in 2025, as they will remain until then, does not guarantee a competitive car compared to the high-performance Ferrari he currently races at the forefront and which allows him to fight for podiums each weekend.
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