Carlos Sainz "definitely under consideration" for Red Bull F1 2025 seat

Carlos Sainz is “definitely under consideration” for a Red Bull seat in F1 2025, it has been claimed.

Sainz has been left without a drive for next season following Lewis Hamilton’s decision to quit Mercedes and join Ferrari on a multi-year deal starting in 2025.

A brilliant start to the new campaign, including an incredible victory in Australia, has seen Sainz linked with a Red Bull drive next year, with Sergio Perez out of contract at the end of this season.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner recently refused to rule the Spaniard out of the frame for a seat alongside Max Verstappen.

And Sainz’s camp have reportedly already held talks with Red Bull, according to F1.com's Lawrence Barretto.

“Multiple sources say Red Bull have spoken to Team Sainz about a return to the Red Bull family he left during the 2017 season to join Renault,” Barretto wrote.

"The Spaniard is in the form of his life. He has finished on the podium in every race he has started this year, including a brilliant win in Australia.

“And he’s the only driver to stop a Red Bull winning since George Russell won in Brazil in 2022 for Mercedes.

“He’s definitely under consideration, but Red Bull haven’t decided if pairing him up with Verstappen again (they were team mates in their respective debut seasons in 2015) is a good idea.”

But Barretto continued: “As it stands, Horner insists Checo “has the priority” and sources say that he has gained considerable kudos within the team in the way he’s approached the start of this year, which in turn has pushed him higher up in Red Bull’s thinking.

“However, while sources admit Ricciardo’s star has lost some of its shine within Red Bull, they aren’t ruling him out just yet. And Sainz very much remains in the mix, while Fernando Alonso is of course no longer a contender, having signed a new deal with Aston Martin.

“Is Verstappen staying? We know he has a contract until the end of 2028 – but there’s been so much talk he could leave sooner… That chatter has started to die down recently – with the growing feeling being he is going to stay put.

"What he does is, of course, a key factor in deciding who is in the other seat. If Verstappen leaves, Red Bull will have to revise their thinking about their line-up entirely. For now, though, they’re working on the basis he will stay in the short term (his contract runs up until the end of 2028) at the very least.”

Yuki Tsunoda is not believed to be on Red Bull’s “shortlist” despite making an impressive start to the season at RB.

"He’s excelling at RB right now. His drive to seventh in Australia was sensational, as was the way he soaked up the pressure of a nation to score a point in his home race last time out in Japan,” Barretto continued.

“But sources say for now at least, he isn’t on the shortlist as a potential candidate for the second Red Bull seat. I understand it is more likely he’s doing enough to retain his seat at RB for next year.”