Carlos Sainz admits he “didn’t perceive” why Pink Bull opted to not signal him for the 2025 F1 season amid rumoured pressure between the Spaniard and Max Verstappen.
Spanish driver Sainz was initially with no seat for this 12 months after Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari, and ultimately moved to Williams to accomplice Alex Albon.
But each Mercedes and Pink Bull – who had second driver Sergio Perez underperforming all through the 2024 season – opted to not pursue Sainz.
The 30-year-old was teammates with a 17-year-old Verstappen at Pink Bull’s sister crew, Toro Rosso, in 2015 and the pair clashed as they each began on their F1 journey. But Sainz insisted their relationship is now cordial.
“The one factor I can say is I genuinely hit it off with Max,” Sainz advised The Excessive Efficiency podcast.
“That is what individuals do not see from the skin. Like, we had a rivalry in our first 12 months in Formulation 1 in Toro Rosso, nevertheless it was a comparatively wholesome rivalry when it comes to him and me, the best way we used to go about racing. And now we get on rather well.
“So, if that is the explanation [Red Bull didn’t sign me], I do not perceive why they would not need me subsequent to Max, as a result of I feel we might truly be a really robust pairing in Formulation 1.”
Perez was dropped after the 2024 season for Liam Lawson, who lasted solely two races this season earlier than being changed by Yuki Tsunoda.
But Tsunoda, in his fifth F1 season, has additionally struggled to carry out as Verstappen’s teammate – a seamless pattern at Pink Bull.
“I feel everybody’s having a extremely powerful time being Max’s teammate,” Sainz added.
“I can solely say that once I was Max’s teammate, I did not have this powerful time.
“I used to be clearly extremely shocked with how fast he was, with how he is an insane driver. I imply, he will exit to be probably the greatest ever in historical past, if he is not already one. However that first 12 months collectively, since then, has given me the boldness to know I may be up in opposition to anybody.”
Sainz is at the moment fifteenth within the drivers’ championship on 13 factors, 33 factors off teammate Alex Albon. The subsequent race of the season is that this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps with the Belgian Grand Prix.
