Carlos Sainz’s career has taken an unexpected turn after losing his Ferrari seat to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season.

Despite a strong 2024 campaign, including two race wins and being the only non-Red Bull driver to secure victory in 2023, the Spaniard has been forced to join midfield team Williams, where he will partner Alex Albon.  

Sainz’s departure from Ferrari sparked months of speculation about his future. Early in the 2024 season, rumours linked him to Red Bull as a potential partner for Max Verstappen, particularly after his impressive win at the Australian Grand Prix. However, Red Bull ultimately chose to promote Liam Lawson to the senior team, leaving Sainz out of contention.  

Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, explained that while Sainz was considered, the team decided to focus on its junior driver program, however, he also hinted that the team remains open to possible future partnership.

"Carlos is a great driver, and options still remain open with him in the future," Horner said, as quoted by RacingNews365.

"He was considered, and in many respects, you'd say there was a real logic [to signing] Carlos, but we made the choice to look internally and put belief in the junior programme.

"That attracts more juniors because they see a pathway to Formula 1, and if we'd gone outside the programme, that is not sending the right message, because there is so much competition now for young drivers, even at the age of 13 or 14 between the teams.

"That is healthy because it is investing in young talent, but by joining the Red Bull programme, you see a clear pathway that if you deliver, pretty much guarantees you'll get to Formula 1.

"We would always prefer to give the opportunity to the progression of the junior programme."