Juan Pablo Montoya, former Formula 1 driver, shared his thoughts on the rumors about Carlos Sainz potentially transferring to Red Bull for the 2025 season and becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate. According to Montoya, Max Verstappen’s presence played a crucial role in blocking this opportunity for the Spanish driver.
In recent months, there was significant talk about the Spaniard possibly replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull, especially after it was announced that the Ferrari driver would lose his seat to Lewis Hamilton. However, Red Bull ultimately decided to stick with Sergio Perez, who continued to struggle with disappointing performances until being replaced by Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson at the end of the 2024 season.
Why did Red Bull choose not to sign Carlos Sainz for 2025?
Juan Pablo Montoya pointed out that the history between Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen during their time at Toro Rosso in 2015 might have influenced Red Bull’s decision. Their relationship, described as “quite toxic” by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, created a complicated dynamic between the two drivers. Montoya stated: “I’m sure Max Verstappen would have prevented Carlos Sainz from coming to Red Bull. I don’t think Max wanted to face that situation again.”
The former driver added that it wasn’t about fear on Verstappen’s part but rather a smart strategy to maintain a positive work environment. “Why make your life unnecessarily difficult?” Juan Pablo Montoya questioned.
The former Formula 1 driver also expressed regret that Carlos Sainz couldn’t find a better solution. However, he showed optimism about Williams’ future, suggesting the team could follow McLaren’s trajectory in the coming years thanks to financial backing and a solid structure.
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