Carlos Sainz now in ‘pole position’ for Red Bull switch if Max Verstappen leaves amid unhappiness

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Carlos Sainz is in ‘pole position’ to replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull amid the four-time F1 world champion’s unhappiness with the new regulations, according to a recent report.

Max Verstappen has been F1’s most vocal critic during the early stages of the sport’s new technical regulations, which has thrown his future at Red Bull into question.

A sabbatical has now been tipped for Verstappen, with David Coulthard predicting the Dutchman to return to the sport once he is more satisfied with the trajectory of F1’s ruleset.

As such, it sparks a debate on who the Austrian constructor will opt to replace the four-time world champion’s talents with.

Of course, Red Bull have a relatively large pool of junior talent that they can bring in, but it remains to be seen whether the team’s top brass would want to partner Isack Hadjar with another young star.

• READ MORE: Carlos Sainz will approach F1 bosses ‘hand in hand’ with Max Verstappen if new rules fail

Carlos Sainz now in ‘pole position’ to replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull

According to a recent report from Sport.es, Williams’ Carlos Sainz is now in ‘pole position’ to fill the void of Verstappen if he does opt to take a break from the pinnacle of single-seater racing.

The vastly experienced Spaniard began his F1 career as a Red Bull junior, and even partnered with Verstappen at Toro Rosso during the 28-year-old’s debut season in 2015.

Sainz and Verstappen shared a deep rivalry that year, which was understood to be the reason why the Williams driver was overlooked when Red Bull were seeking a replacement for Sergio Perez at the end of 2024.

Can Red Bull attract great drivers to their team if Max Verstappen leaves?

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The report also highlights another factor that is in Sainz’s favour for a seat at Red Bull. Laurent Mekies worked alongside him during his duties as Ferrari’s sporting director at the start of the current decade, and the Frenchman is ‘particularly fond’ of his abilities.

Sainz has been told to pursue a top drive in Formula 1 by Guenther Steiner, following Williams’ struggles at the start of the current campaign, and Red Bull could be his ticket back to the front of the grid.

While the Austrian constructor isn’t where they want to be at the moment, the initial data of their 2026-spec power unit is encouraging, and it offers a strong base to build upon into the future.

• READ MORE: Carlos Sainz says two Formula 1 drivers are even faster than Max Verstappen ‘over one lap’

Oscar Piastri has also been tipped to replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull

In light of a potential exit for Verstappen, Red Bull have also been linked with bringing Oscar Piastri into the fold at Milton Keynes. Having already cemented himself as a proven Grand Prix winner in F1, the Australian has been tipped to be the outfit’s lead driver in the coming years.

F1 commentator Alex Jacques thinks Red Bull would ‘undoubtedly’ target the McLaren star to replace the talents of their four-time world champion, but questioned whether Piastri would want to depart from Woking.

Zak Brown has recently detailed how he has no plans to chop or change the British constructor’s current line-up, and the current F1 pecking order indicates that a move to Red Bull would be a step down for Piastri.

However, team orders have been a hot topic at McLaren since they were thrust into the championship picture during the 2024 season, and it remains to be seen whether the team’s papaya rules have had a lasting effect on Piastri’s happiness.