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Carlos Sainz has confirmed that Max Verstappen enjoys a contractual exemption from marketing and media obligations at Red Bull, a privilege the Williams driver says makes the four-time world champion the only driver on the grid with enough time to participate in activities outside the relentless F1 calendar. Sainz made the remarks when asked whether a karting event involving all 20 drivers could be organised, concluding that only Verstappen would have the bandwidth to take part.
The revelation underscores the unique power dynamic Verstappen has cultivated within Red Bull. While most drivers are bound by extensive sponsor appearances, social media commitments, and team promotional work, Verstappen has negotiated terms that shield him from such distractions. Red Bull has long accommodated this arrangement, recognising that keeping their star driver focused on performance delivers greater returns than forcing him into marketing duties he openly dislikes.
Speaking to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Sainz was asked whether a karting race featuring all F1 drivers could ever be feasible. His answer was blunt. "I think it's impossible to do that with a championship with 24 race weekends, and with all the marketing and interviews we have to do," Sainz said. "No driver could do it because of that."
Verstappen's exemption from the grid's commercial demands
After a pause, Sainz revised his answer. "Well, Max would be the only one, because he's the only one who doesn't do marketing activities and doesn't give interviews, because he's had that written into his contract," Sainz explained. "He can afford to do that and at Red Bull they accept it. All the other drivers simply don't have the physical time and the space to put the energy into such a race."
The comment confirms what paddock insiders have long suspected. Verstappen's distaste for what he considers time-wasting sponsor events and social media content is no secret, and Red Bull has formalised his opt-out in writing. The arrangement is rare in modern F1, where commercial obligations are typically non-negotiable, even for top drivers. Most teams treat sponsor access as a contractual pillar, but Red Bull has chosen to prioritise Verstappen's preference for focus over breadth of engagement.
Why Red Bull tolerates the exception
Red Bull's willingness to grant Verstappen this latitude reflects both his stature and the team's pragmatism. Verstappen's four consecutive world titles and his status as the sport's dominant driver give him leverage few others possess. The team understands that forcing him into uncomfortable promotional work risks distracting him from what he does best. His results justify the special treatment, and the rest of the grid appears to accept the arrangement without complaint.
Sainz, who spent two years alongside Verstappen at Toro Rosso in 2015 and 2016, knows the Dutchman's work style well. When asked who would win a hypothetical karting race among the drivers, Sainz grinned and offered a swift answer: "Me." Whether that confidence would hold against a fully rested Verstappen is another question, but one unlikely to be tested given the constraints Sainz himself outlined. For now, Verstappen remains the only driver with the contractual freedom to even consider it
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