Red Bull “can’t match” Audi’s “lucrative” offer in the hunt for Sainz

Helmut Marko confirmed Carlos Sainz as a real option for the 2025 Red Bull seat, however, made notice of the team’s inability to “match or beat” Audi’s “very lucrative offer” for the Spaniard’s employment. 

Since the bomb that Lewis Hamilton would be heading to Maranello next season first dropped in February, all eyes have been on where Carlos Sainz will land in 2025, with the Spaniard also unsure himself.

Following Audi’s announcement that they would be joining the grid in 2026, Sainz was always linked to the Sauber takeover, primarily due to his father, Carlos Sainz Snr’s involvement with the manufacturer in his recent Dakar Rally outings, including victory in 2024.  

As the races have gone on and the accolades have rolled in for the #55, top teams like Red Bull have emerged as interested parties, with the likes of Red Bull’s team consultant Helmut Marko singing praises for Sainz in recent weeks.

The pairing was also photographed shaking hands as they entered the paddock together in Japan where Marko said that Audi was “making pressure” in the 2025 driver market.

In an interview with Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Marko confirmed that Red Bull have been in talks with Carlos Sainz, however, Audi’s unattainable offerings may stand in the way of the Spaniard returning to the Austrian outfit. 

“We’re talking to him, he’s having his strongest season in F1, but he has a very lucrative offer from Audi that we can’t match or beat,” Marko said.

“But we know him from the Toro Rosso days, even back then he drove with Max [in 2015 and early 2016].

“But it really hurt him back then when we backed [Max] Verstappen at Red Bull and not him.”

Carlos Sainz speaks to Helmut Marko during the Japanese GP weekend at Suzuka. Image: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images.

Sainz ultimately left the Red Bull family in late 2017 for Renault after Verstappen was instantly promoted to the senior team, and he was left behind. 

The 29-year-old has always made it clear that he prefers to race with multi-year deals, security Red Bull may not be able to offer him with such an uprise of talent coming through their Junior driver ranks.

Sergio Perez also has the season to prove himself worthy of maintaining his seat alongside Max Verstappen and has done a standard job in the opening four rounds of 2024. 

Back in RB, both Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are still looking to put their best foot forward as they campaign for a promotion, creating endless, stress-free, possibilities for Red Bull.

Red Bull also has Liam Lawson waiting in the wings, with Marko making it clear that a potential mid-season swap could be on the cards if a certain West Australian doesn’t step it up.

In recent weeks, Marko has been quite vocal with both New Zealand and Italian media outlets, ironing out the “complex issue” of Ricciardo’s performance struggles.

“With Liam Lawson as a reserve driver, we obviously have a strong driver in the team who is contractually entitled to drive for another team if he doesn’t get a cockpit with us in 2025,” Marko said.

“In this respect, it would of course be exciting for us if we could see him in Formula 1 this year to get an even clearer picture.

“But it’s a complex issue, so we’ll have to see how things progress.”

All eyes will be on Sainz’s off-track movement in the coming months and Ricciardo’s on-track performance this weekend as both drivers come under pressure as their 2025 negations heat up.

2024 Chinese Grand Prix

Friday, April 19

Practice 1: 13:30-14:30

Sprint Qualifying: 17:30-18:14

Saturday, April 20

Sprint: 13:00-14:00

Qualifying: 17:00-18:00

Sunday, April 21

Grand Prix: 17:00

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