Carlos Sainz may have picked Williams for the next stage of his F1 career, but Christian Horner didn’t rule out the idea of seeing the Spaniard back in a Red Bull car someday.
Despite passing on Sainz for 2025, Horner has left the door slightly open for a future collaboration.
“Carlos is a great driver, and options still remain open with him in the future,” Horner said, reflecting on the decision-making process.
After losing his seat at Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton in a shocking move for everyone, Sainz was heavily linked to Red Bull, especially in first couple of months of the year.
And with Sergio Perez’s performances starting to decline a lot, a vacancy alongside Max Verstappen seemed inevitable. Sainz, with his experience, proven success, and ties to the Red Bull program, looked like a strong candidate.
But Red Bull chose to promote Liam Lawson instead. Horner explained that the decision wasn’t about Sainz’s abilities but rather staying true to Red Bull’s philosophy.
“In many respects, you’d say there was a real logic [to signing] Carlos, but we made the choice to look internally and put belief in the junior programme” Horner said.
Red Bull’s commitment to nurturing its own talent played a significant role.
“That attracts more juniors because they see a pathway to Formula 1,” Horner explained. “If we’d gone outside the programme, that is not sending the right message, because there is so much competition now for young drivers, even at the age of 13 or 14 between the teams.”
Red Bull prides itself on its junior program and the opportunities it offers. “By joining the Red Bull programme, you see a clear pathway that if you deliver, pretty much guarantees you’ll get to Formula 1. We would always prefer to give the opportunity to the progression of the junior programme.”
The choice between Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda wasn’t easy or straightforward either. Both drivers had shown potential, but Lawson’s performance in his limited F1 outings gave him the edge.
“It was very, very tight between the two of them” Horner admitted. “Yuki is a very fast driver. He’s got three or four seasons of experience now.”
Lawson’s consistency and mental toughness were deciding factors. “When you look and go into the analytics of his race, his pace was slightly better in the races that he did. His qualifying pace was very tight with Yuki, and you’ve got to assume that the potential with Liam, having only done 11 Grands Prix, is he’s only going to get better and stronger. He’s shown real mental resilience and toughness.”
For now, Sainz is charting a new path at Williams, while Lawson begins his journey alongside Verstappen. But in Formula 1, nothing is set in stone, and Horner’s comments make one thing clear: Red Bull hasn’t entirely closed the chapter on Sainz. The future always holds possibilities.
