Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has revealed that the team’s initial pursuit of Carlos Sainz was halted by Sergio Perez’s strong start to the 2024 Formula One season. However, Horner remains open to the possibility of collaborating with the Spanish driver in the future. The situation arose as Sainz, who was initially expected to be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, sought other opportunities in the paddock.
At the time, Red Bull had no immediate vacancies for 2025, as both Max Verstappen and Perez were secured with contracts. Verstappen was committed to Red Bull until 2028, while Perez had extended his deal with the team in June. However, Perez's performance took a downturn after a promising start to the season. Following several strong podium finishes, Perez failed to finish higher than fourth in subsequent races, prompting Red Bull to reconsider his place on the team. As a result, Red Bull made the decision to replace him with rising star Liam Lawson for the 2025 season.
Horner explained that Red Bull's choice to focus on internal development rather than looking externally for drivers, such as Sainz, was aligned with their long-term strategy. “Carlos is a great driver, and options still remain open with him in the future,” Horner said. He emphasized that the team places a high value on nurturing young talent through their junior programme, which has been instrumental in Red Bull's success over the years. This strategy has allowed the team to develop drivers from within, offering a clear path to Formula One for the next generation of racing talent.
Despite Perez's early successes, which included podium finishes, his performance fell off, and he ended the season in eighth place in the drivers’ standings—his worst finish since 2019. This inconsistency played a significant role in Red Bull's decision to part ways with him. It also affected the team’s standing in the constructors' championship, with Red Bull losing out to McLaren, who clinched the title thanks to strong performances from drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
As Perez’s form continued to deteriorate, it was clear that Red Bull’s championship aspirations were at risk. Despite winning nine races and securing four Sprint victories throughout the season, the significant points gap between Verstappen and Perez ultimately hurt Red Bull in their battle for the constructors’ title. The team, which had dominated the previous seasons, struggled to maintain its position as McLaren emerged as a formidable challenger.
In the end, Carlos Sainz signed a two-year contract with Williams, which was among the teams interested in him, alongside Sauber and Alpine. Horner acknowledged that Sainz’s arrival at Williams made sense, but he reiterated that Red Bull's decision to focus on their internal talent pipeline was the right call. "We made the choice to look internally and put belief in the junior programme," Horner said.
Reflecting on the team’s season and whether Red Bull should have secured the constructors’ championship, Horner remarked that looking back, it's easy to get caught up in the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” perspective. While he acknowledged McLaren’s impressive season, he also highlighted Red Bull's achievements, even with the challenges they faced throughout the year. Despite missing out on the constructors’ title, Horner believes the team is still in a strong position and that their focus on long-term growth and talent development will pay dividends in the future.
In conclusion, Horner's comments underline Red Bull's strategic focus on building from within, even if that means passing on immediate opportunities like signing Sainz. With Verstappen firmly entrenched as the team’s lead driver, Red Bull’s next steps will revolve around continuing their support for promising talents from their junior ranks, ensuring a sustainable and successful future for the team.
