F1 driver market waiting on Hamilton – Horner

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the Formula 1 driver market will trigger into action once Lewis Hamilton’s future is confirmed and feels it will impact all Red Bull-contracted drivers including the future of Carlos Sainz.

While Red Bull is eager to finalise a deal to retain Daniel Ricciardo, it leaves Carlos Sainz’s future in the balance at the Milton Keynes-based squad.

Sainz has been loaned out to Renault for 2018 but could look to make the move permanent from next season if there is no race seat available at Red Bull if Ricciardo is re-signed.

When pressed on Sainz’s future by Crash.net, Horner conceded Red Bull will only retain the Spanish driver if he is required while the team boss looked to push the pressure on Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff regarding reigning F1 world champion Hamilton’s future.

“Renault has a desire to keep Carlos,” Horner said. “It really depends whether we have a requirement for him or not. Our intention is to retain both drivers so once that’s clear then we will sit down with Carlos.

“All of these things are obviously interlinked in some way, shape or form. I think the whole driver market is waiting for Toto’s driver to kick that off. I’m hoping at Silverstone you are finally going to get your finger out, sign a contract?

“He’s worth it. Come on, he’s worth every penny.

“So as soon as Toto signs his contract, yeah, two contracts, that then will cascade throughout and Carlos Sainz will just be a mechanism within that so it’s all down to Toto.”

Mercedes and Hamilton have both repeated sentiments that a future deal is imminent and is speculated to be worth in the region of £35-£40million per year. Hamilton’s home race next week at Silverstone is tipped to be the venue of the official announcement by Mercedes.