Being a Red Bull academy star is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, one is part of a system renowned for producing race winners and world champions. On the other hand, one is thrown into a high-pressure environment that can be brutal and unforgiving.
This is something that Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, both alums of the famed racing academy, know all too well.
The Red Bull driver program has always been overseen by Helmut Marko, a man known for his uncompromising approach. Often controversial, Marko has developed a reputation for making ruthless decisions — dropping drivers without much hesitation and offering little room for error.
He demands excellence from young talents, and anything less was unacceptable. This, apparently, even included sacrificing education, as Sainz recently revealed during a conversation with his current Williams teammate, Albon.
When asked about his biggest achievement outside of F1, Sainz proudly said it was finishing school. He added that he was even in a position to go to university and further his education. But he never got the chance. The reason? Marko.
“I could have gone to Uni. But at that stage, I was in GP3 and moving to World Series, and it was the most important year of my life. I had to win the World Series to go to F1”, Sainz said.
Albon, who understood the pressure Sainz was under, chimed in with, “Or Helmut was going to —” mimicking a hitting gesture and waving someone away. Sainz added to the moment by gesturing a throat-slitting motion, signaling that Marko would’ve likely kicked him out of the Red Bull setup.
The implication was clear. The young drivers at the Red Bull program had to focus on racing — and winning — above all else. Letting other things, like going to university, getting in the way meant getting shown the door.
Sainz chose motorsports and went on to become a driver for Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls), Red Bull’s junior team. The Madrid-born driver spent a couple of years with the Faenza-based outfit before moving on to Renault, followed by stints at McLaren, Ferrari, and now Williams.
Considering he’s now regarded as one of the most solid drivers on the grid and a four-time Grand Prix winner, Sainz likely has no regrets about not pursuing university. Albon, too, can credit Red Bull for launching his F1 career.
He made his debut with Toro Rosso, where he raced for half a season before earning a promotion to Red Bull, where he spent a year and a half. He then joined Williams in 2022.
