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Carlos Sainz's management has made contact with Red Bull Racing about a potential return to the organisation, Italian journalist Roberto Chinchero has revealed to Motorsport.com's Italian edition. The approach positions Sainz as a candidate either to partner or replace Max Verstappen, depending on the outcome of the ongoing speculation around the Dutchman's future. Sainz, a former Red Bull junior who raced for Toro Rosso between 2015 and 2017, left Ferrari at the end of 2024 for Williams, but the move has yet to yield the results that accompanied his decision to join the historic British team.
Williams sits in the early stages of a multi-year rebuild, and while Sainz delivered two podiums in 2024 to signal progress, the opening five rounds of 2025 have produced just six points. Three ninth-place finishes represent the sum of his season so far, a return that falls short of the ambitions that drew him away from a race-winning seat at Maranello. The Spaniard's current predicament has prompted his representatives to explore alternatives, with Red Bull emerging as a realistic option should the team's driver line-up shift.
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Renewed speculation over Verstappen's long-term commitment to Red Bull has brought driver succession planning back into focus. Chinchero confirmed that Sainz's camp has already initiated discussions. "Naturally, his manager has already knocked on Red Bull's door," the journalist said. "I'm 100% ready to bet on that." Yet Sainz is not the only name under consideration. Oscar Piastri, currently contracted to McLaren, has also been identified as a potential candidate, particularly if Verstappen's departure triggers a broader reshuffle across the grid's leading seats.
Piastri's stock has risen sharply following his performances in McLaren's 2024 title challenge, and Chinchero believes that experience carries weight in Red Bull's assessment. "It's true that Sainz has more experience in some respects, but in other respects Oscar has already lived through that particular atmosphere you experience during a championship fight," he noted. Sainz, by contrast, spent four seasons at Ferrari without mounting a sustained title challenge, despite multiple race wins and consistent front-running pace. "Sainz has never experienced that in Formula 1," Chinchero added. "He has experienced those fierce, direct battles where you go eye to eye with your teammate."
The question of fit alongside Verstappen
Whether Sainz would suit Red Bull's current configuration remains a point of debate. His tenure at Toro Rosso alongside Verstappen in 2015 ended when the Dutchman was promoted mid-season, and the two never raced as equals within the same machinery under the senior Red Bull banner. Chinchero expressed scepticism about pairing Sainz with Verstappen again, particularly if the three-time world champion remains at the team. "In that case, I don't think Sainz is the right person to put alongside Verstappen at Red Bull, especially," he said. "A lot of factors come into play. It's a good question, but quite a few things are being discussed at the moment."
Red Bull's decision timeline and strategic considerations
Red Bull has yet to confirm any driver changes, and much depends on whether Verstappen exercises any options that might allow him to leave early or whether the team opts to plan for a post-Verstappen era while he remains under contract. Sainz represents continuity and proven race-winning ability across multiple teams, while Piastri offers youth and the kind of high-pressure title-fight exposure that Red Bull has traditionally valued. Both options carry merit, and both carry risk.
For Sainz, a return to the Red Bull family would represent a significant career pivot after betting on Williams' upward trajectory. For Red Bull, the choice between experience and championship-calibre composure will define the next phase of the team's driver strategy, regardless of Verstappen's ultimate decision
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