Christian Horner has confirmed he will not make moves for Carlos Sainz to join Red Bull next season, as rumors persist over the future of Sergio Perez.
Sainz has signed a multi-year contract to join Williams from 2025, but the Red Bull team principal was spotted leaving the Williams hospitality at Interlagos. Rumors have reported negotiations on a possible release of the young Franco Colapinto, or even an attempt to recover Sainz ultimately.
“I mean, there's always a lot of speculation in the Formula 1 paddock.”
“Carlos Sainz will be a Williams driver next year. He's a great driver, he had a big win in Mexico recently, and I think he will be very good for this team.”
When asked whether or not Red Bull would consider making a move for the current Ferrari driver, despite his commitment to join Williams next year, Horner clarified: “No, Carlos is committed to Williams, and he is not part of our plans for next year.”
Sainz also reacted to this rumor and denied any desire to change plans.
“Williams is the team that invested in me, that supported me from the beginning, the ones that came to me a year ago already, and that makes me really impatient in a certain sense.”
“I know I won't have the results I have today in 2025 but I want to give these guys what they gave me, give them back that trust and that belief in me. That really gives me strength – and I I'm looking forward to going there and building something good with them.”
Red Bull was still courting Colapinto in Brazil but it is said that Williams' offer to release him for $20 million did not go over to Horner.
So a final rumor, published by La Gazzetta dello Sport, is that Flavio Briatore, executive advisor of Alpine, could consider getting rid of Jack Doohan, although recruited for 2025, in order to associate Colapinto with Pierre Gasly next year .
Some even think that an agreement could already be signed.
"I want to state categorically that this is not the case," said Maria Catarineu, sales manager of the Bullet Sports Management group, in charge of the Argentine driver.
“The truth is that nothing has been signed yet, but the desire to keep Franco in Formula 1 comes from all sides, including Williams. This is what they are working on.”
“That's Williams' problem. They want Franco to stay in Formula 1 in 2025.”
