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Red Bull is still open to 'selling' Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz to another team. The energy drink company has a firm contract with the 22-year-old, but persistent rumours say Renault is interested in running him at the French works team.
Indeed, Sainz admitted recently that Renault even made a "good offer" to sign him for 2017, but it was turned down by Red Bull. Now, there are rumours that not only Renault but also McLaren are interested in Sainz for 2018.
So when asked about Sainz's 100 per cent Red Bull contract for 2018, Dr Helmut Marko told Canal F1 Latin America: "It's difficult to talk about 100pc in formula one. I would not be surprised to see him at another team. Because I know what his contract is. But only we can make it possible," the Red Bull official added.
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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Replies (5)
Login to replyKean
Posts: 692
I predict that Ricciardo will be highly sought after when his contract expires at the end of 2018, I think he will either go to Mercedes or Ferrari, leaving a seat available at Red Bull. Therefor I think the right move for Sainz would be to stay at Toro Rosso for 2018 and aim for a Red Bull seat in 2019. I don’t think that McLaren or Renault will be all that competitive in 2018, sure they might finish the season ahead of Toro Rosso, but they won’t be a top 3 team. If Sainz stays at Toro Rosso he will likely have more choices for 2019, he could go to Red Bull, Renault, McLaren and he’d also have an outside chance of a Ferrari or Mercedes seat.
kngrthr
Posts: 203
you make a very good point.
he might want to follow in alonsos footsteps in being a top driver but i hope he doesn't follow his knack of choosing the wrong team at the wrong time.
if redbull start winning again, ricciardo will want to stay.
i believe Renault will get this engine very competitive very soon and that will get very interesting.
so many combinations or is that permutations. ....
Kean
Posts: 692
@KNGRTHR Just read that Sainz could be a pawn in the whole McLaren-Renault-Toro Rosso-Honda deal. The article implied that Sainz could go to Renault but still be a contracted Red Bull driver, so that RBR could get Sainz to drive for them should Ricciardo or Verstappen leave.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
I look forward to Sainz out of Red Bull's destructive grasp. They definitely have the best program to identify and bring up young talent. But the ones that don't make it to Red Bull get strangled out of options. I still think that Jean-Eric Vergne was top talent that ran out of options because of how douchy Red Bull was in releasing him late.
Barron
Posts: 625
Sell him? I thought slavery was illegal! Clearly, not for Red Bull. Shouldn't knock them though, they have supported global motorsport like no other commercial sponsor ever, except for perhaps Phillip Morris.