“I would get on well with him” - Carlos Sainz disagrees with Red Bull rejection theory

Carlos Sainz has dismissed suggestions that having a poor relationship with Max Verstappen meant he missed out on a Red Bull drive for the 2025 F1 season.

Sainz was in the frame to partner Verstappen for 2025 - but Red Bull opted to give Sergio Perez a new deal.

The Spaniard was also overlooked by Mercedes as they looked for a Lewis Hamilton replacement.

This left Sainz with a number of midfield options, ultimately signing for Williams.

One reason to explain Red Bull’s decision to reject Sainz was the tension at Toro Rosso between his camp and the Verstappens in 2015.

The pair spent just over one season together as teammates before Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull in 2016.

There were claims that the two fathers involved - Carlos Sainz Sr and Jos Verstappen - clashed, resulting in friction within the team.

However, Sainz has no doubts that 10 years on, both he and Verstappen have “matured a lot”.

“I think I would get on well with him," he told German publication Auto Motor und Sport. “We were 16 and 19 years old back then, we've matured a lot.

“At Toro Rosso, they put you in a team and say, 'Fight each other, then we'll see who's the best and who gets promoted to Red Bull!' That's the reason why Toro Rosso exists.

“You don't drive there together for the team classification, otherwise the behaviour of the two drivers would change completely.

“You can see it with Charles and Lando, my last two teammates. There were never any problems.

“So if my relationship with Max was the reason why I didn't end up there, then I would say there would have been no problems. If the decision depended solely on that, then it would simply be wrong, but I've already told them that.”