Carlos Sainz could return to his former team next season if Williams frustration boils over

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As Carlos Sainz continues to grapple with his decision to join Williams, he may have a way out of a decision he regrets, courtesy of one of his former teams.

There is a belief that Sainz regrets his move to Williams – especially in the aftermath of their poor start to the 2026 season.

And while Williams showed signs of life at the Miami Grand Prix, the overall atmosphere surrounding the Spanish driver this year has been one filled with frustration.

Guenther Steiner thinks Carlos Sainz should look to join a top F1 team

Who should he join if he leaves Williams?

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With this frustration, Sainz has been linked to moves away from Williams, including a possible return to McLaren to reunite with Lando Norris.

But what if Carlos Sainz could return to another team he once represented? One that initially shut the door on his comeback just two years ago.

READ MORE: Carlos Sainz blasts Williams with furious team radio outburst after dismal Miami Sprint qualifying

Carlos Sainz could get a chance at Red Bull return that was rejected in 2024

In 2024, as it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would be joining Ferrari the following year, Carlos Sainz was on the hunt for a new team.

One of the teams that emerged as a possible landing spot for Sainz were Red Bull. Sainz was previously associated with the team during his two-year stint with Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls), where he had experience teaming up with Max Verstappen.

However, Christian Horner and Red Bull reportedly rejected Sainz, with influence from Helmut Marko and members of Verstappen’s family.

It is believed that Sainz’s tension with Verstappen during their time together at Toro Rosso led to the rejection. Furthermore, Marko’s involvement in the driver program presumably led to him urging Red Bull to call up Liam Lawson.

While Horner later considered bringing in Sainz, there seemed to be no substance to the rumours linking the Spaniard to Red Bull.

But now, with both Horner and Marko out of the team, and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull future up in the air, could there be a route back to the team for Sainz?

With the figures instrumental in blocking his move now gone from Red Bull, Sainz could try and re-engage with the team over a possible move.

Williams are unlikely to complete a dramatic turnaround this season, so it would make sense for Sainz to try and earn a move back to the outfit that gave him his first opportunity in Formula 1.

Carlos Sainz could have avoided Williams disaster well in advance

It is no secret that Sainz isn’t happy with Williams’ start to the season. And it will take a lot more work than they did over the break to recover enough to keep him happy.

Sainz had the choice to join Audi over Williams back in 2024, but he made what many consider to be the wrong choice.

Despite the interest, Sainz backed Williams to help him meet his goals in a way that he believed Audi just couldn’t at the time.

And while Audi haven’t closed the door on Sainz just yet, the Spanish driver walking away from Williams at the end of the year would be him admitting that he wasted two seasons at the peak of his powers.