Red Bull more likely to sign Carlos Sainz than Charles Leclerc if Max Verstappen retires

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Carlos Sainz is ‘the kind of driver’ Red Bull would be looking at if they need a replacement for Max Verstappen, according to BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson. Verstappen could retire at the end of the 2026 season.

With Gianpiero Lambiase leaving Red Bull to join McLaren, Verstappen may have another incentive to walk away. He has previously indicated that he would follow Lambiase out of the door.

Red Bull have been linked with Ferrari driver Leclerc in recent times. The Mirror’s Daniel Moxon says Laurent Mekies would love to sign the Monegasque, having worked with him when he was racing director at Maranello.

Will Max Verstappen keep his word as Gianperio Lambiase leaves Red Bull?

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Carlos Sainz ‘might be looking for a change’ amid Max Verstappen uncertainty

Speaking on the Chequered Flag podcast, Benson said Red Bull wouldn’t consider one of their junior drivers from the lower categories to replace a superstar like Verstappen.

Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson are available at Racing Bulls, but the former is only 18 while the latter only lasted two races after being called up to Red Bull in 2025.

Ideally, Red Bull would recruit an A-lister like Leclerc or George Russell, but Benson says they will struggle to attract that calibre of driver given their current struggles. Mekies’ squad have slipped into the midfield at the start of the new regulations.

A driver like Sainz, who used to race for Racing Bulls forerunners Toro Rosso, is a more realistic signing. He offers Red Bull race-winning pedigree but might also be unhappy at Williams, who themselves have regressed this year.

• READ MORE: David Croft talks up Carlos Sainz as potential Fernando Alonso successor at Aston Martin

“You’re not going to pick someone out of Formula 2 to take his seat,” said Benson. “You’re looking at the existing talent pool in Formula 1.

“The thing about that, though, is that Red Bull is not as appealing a seat as it was this time 12 months ago, or 18 months ago. They’ve not had a great start to the season, the car doesn’t look that quick as a chassis, the engine doesn’t seem to be that competitive.

“The usual suspects, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, it’s not going to be as appealing for them. They’re in a bit of a spot, frankly, if Verstappen does retire at the end of the year.

“That’s the kind of driver they’d be looking at. Sainz went to Williams, it looked like a great decision last year, it doesn’t look like a great decision this year. He might be looking for a change.”

Max Verstappen genuinely doesn’t know if he will continue racing

Of course, Red Bull will hope that this is all academic. With Isack Hadjar showing impressive speed, they finally have the makings of a long-term line-up.

Ideally, Verstappen will stay until at least the end of 2028, when his contract expires. According to Benson, the four-time champion genuinely doesn’t know what he will do come the end of the year.

He said: “In the end, I don’t know, and neither does he at the moment, as I understand it. I’d be surprised if he did retire.”

Of course, there is a chance that Verstappen stays in F1 but moves to another team, though he’s adamant his grievances are linked to the current regulations rather than Red Bull’s problems.