Christian Horner more interested in signing 20-podium star than Helmut Marko for Red Bull

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In an ideal world, Red Bull Racing won’t have to worry about their driver line-up for 2025.

Max Verstappen is a three-time world champion and despite retiring from the Australian Grand Prix, still leads the way in 2024.

Sergio Perez is an able deputy but with his deal expiring at the end of the season, he could be replaced and speaking on The Race Podcast, Edd Straw believes two key personnel within Red Bull disagree on who the ideal candidate might be.

The Mexican driver’s main role within Red Bull is to finish second to Verstappen at every opportunity and pick up the slack on the rare occasions he’s not winning a Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, he failed to deliver on that promise in Australia, finishing fifth after Verstappen’s DNF.

It means Red Bull are now in a position where they have to think about other potential options.

Carlos Sainz has been identified as a target by Red Bull, although Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have differing opinions of the Spaniard.

He’s a superb driver and won’t have a contract that the Austrian team need to buy him out of for 2025.

Christian Horner and Helmut Marko disagree over Carlos Sainz for Red Bull

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone who watched the Australian Grand Prix that Carlos Sainz is suddenly at the forefront of many teams thinking for next season.

After the race, Karun Chandhok described him as the most underrated driver on the grid.

Damon Hill praised his intelligence and explained how he had an edge over current teammate Charles Leclerc when it comes to the feedback he provides his Ferrari engineers.

All of this makes Sainz an ideal candidate for any team that wants to challenge at the very front of the grid.

Christian Horner praised Sainz after the race but Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is less convinced by the 29-year-old.

The Spaniard walked away from Toro Rosso to pursue his F1 career outside of the group and that may be playing a part in Marko’s thinking…

Predictable disagreement within Red Bull over driver choices

Talking about the feeling towards Sainz within the Red Bull hierarchy, Straw said: “That’s always the question. There was an interesting relationship with the two of them at Toro Rosso in the season where they were together.

“There’s also a wider political thing within Red Bull as there always is because I think [Christian] Horner is a bit more keen on Carlos Sainz than maybe Helmut Marko is.

“And that’s an interesting dynamic there because we’ve talked extensively about all the political battles going on there.”

Red Bull have a big decision to make on Perez’s future sooner rather than later – opinion

It would still be a shock to see Max Verstappen move on at the end of the year even if teams are desperate to sign him.

The most likely scenario would be Sergio Perez moving on at the end of the season unless he can close the gap to Verstappen.

Marko and Horner may not be completely aligned on Sainz as an option for Red Bull, but he would be a very strong candidate for the team.

There’s a suggestion that Verstappen’s camp might not be sold on the idea of him being partnered with his old Red Bull teammate.

But with Ferrari closing the gap this season, the team will recognise that upgrading Perez might be the only way to guarantee they still come out on top in the Constructors’ Championship.