Max Verstappen for the third year in a row seems to be untouchable. With the Red Bull cars under the current regulations being the fastest, he is decimating every opposition of his. So much so that his teammate, Sergio Perez, who runs the same car, is unable to be even near him. However, ex-F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck believes, as he said to Eurosport, based on a report by GP Blog, that Max Verstappen would have been having bad sleep days if Carlos Sainz was his teammate.
“First of all, I would like it, because competition stimulates the business aspect. Then Max [Verstappen] would definitely have to accelerate, which he can do. Secondly, I’m sure Max would sleep worse if he knew Sainz was going to be his new teammate,” said Stuck.
In the last race, when Verstappen had to retire, Sainz won comprehensively. And this is not the first time when Sainz took the show away when Red Bull struggled. Even in Singapore last year, the case was pretty similar. However, Ferrari deserve credit for the same as well.
Throughout the weekend, the Prancing Horses showed a better pace and were always in contention to win. The Dutchman’s retirement just cemented it. So, as of now, the standings look really tight. And if Sainz hadn’t missed the Saudi Arabian GP, he most likely would have led the standings after the last round.
However, for many, it’s a shame that for 2025, Sainz right now is without a team. The Spaniard himself joked in front of the media that he is unemployed for the next year. But, winning the Australian GP might have made things interesting for him.
Carlos Sainz: The hottest property in town?
With Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes, there is already a vacancy to fill at Brackley. On the other hand, with Sergio Perez running in the final year of his contract with Red Bull, the Milton Keynes-based outfit could potentially replace him with Carlos Sainz if the Mexican continues to underperform.
Therefore, both Mercedes and Red Bull are likely to at least contest for the three-time race winner. It’s likely, with the new regulations fast approaching, that Sainz might choose a team that has better prospects for the future even though Red Bull is dominating right now.
Meanwhile, there are other drivers who would be contesting for both seats. Fernando Alonso is also rumored to be linked with both teams. And since the 42-year-old might only race for a year more, Red Bull could be his first choice due to the favorable chances in the championship fight.
As for Sainz, he is likely to affect the driver market greatly despite not having decorated stats like Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton. Till then, there is also a possibility that Sainz tastes more success with Ferrari.
