Helmut Marko discusses Red Bull’s decision to swap Sergio Perez for Carlos Sainz.

Helmut Marko downplayed the rumors of a possible transfer for Sainz, stating that the Ferrari driver will likely want to resolve his future before Red Bull decides on Max Verstappen’s teammate for the 2025 F1 season.

Sainz, who hopes to attract significant attention for the 2025 season, has often been associated with Audi, which is expected to take over the current Sauber team in 2026. This association has been going on for a year now.

The question arises: Could Carlos Sainz be a suitable partner for Max Verstappen at Red Bull? With Sergio Perez’s contract set to expire at the end of 2024, a reunion with the Red Bull team is still a possibility for Sainz. In 2015, Sainz started his journey in F1 as Verstappen’s teammate at Toro Rosso.

Recent reports have suggested that Red Bull has offered Alex Albon a preference option, considering the possibility of rehiring the Williams driver. Albon had a challenging period as Verstappen’s teammate in 2019/20 before being replaced by Perez on a three-year contract starting from 2026.

In an interview with the Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung before the Bahrain Grand Prix, Marko addressed the issue and dismissed the idea of pursuing Albon before 2026. He indicated that there is a discrepancy between Red Bull’s schedule and Sainz’s intentions, stating that the team intends to finalize their lineup “after the summer break.”