Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing since 2005, recently attracted interest following his visit to Williams motorhome during the Brazilian Grand Prix. That meeting, initially expected to involve discussions about Franco Colapinto’s future at Red Bull, degenerated into speculation about a possible driver reshuffle that could see Carlos Sainz join Red Bull Racing.

His visit took place with James Vowles, Team Principal of Williams, a team currently under reconstruction. This meeting sparked hours of conversation within the paddock and sparked media discussions about future teams for 2025.

Horner’s reason for being at Williams was initially thought to revolve around Franco Colapinto, the 21-year-old Argentine driver who joined Formula 1 mid-season, replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams. Colapinto showed promising results, highlighted by his points debut in his second race, attracting the attention of top teams including Red Bull. His potential move to Red Bull’s RB team for 2025 seemed plausible, especially with the brand looking to strengthen its lineup amid struggles around Sergio Perez.

As rumors about Colapinto’s potential role at Red Bull intensified, another theory emerged, proposed by Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok. He speculated that Horner could consider bringing Carlos Sainz to Red Bull, allowing Williams to retain Colapinto.

“Hmm… If I was Horner I would negotiate a price to bring Carlos Sainz into the big team and let Williams keep Colapinto,” Chandhok suggested via Sky Sports F1. This theory is gaining ground with the current pressure on Pérez’s performance, whose form has led to a slide in the Constructors’ Championship standings for Red Bull, now behind McLaren and Ferrari.

Discussions around Carlos Sainz, the Spanish Formula 1 driver with a solid career at Renault, McLaren and Ferrari, potentially returning to a Red Bull-affiliated team, open up possibilities for both teams. The move is interesting considering his history with Max Verstappen when they were teammates at Toro Rosso. Chandhok addressed this question by noting:

“Yes yes, the Max camp apparently doesn’t want him but it’s been a decade since they’ve been teammates (get over it!) and this year showed they need two scoring drivers.”

Sainz’s confirmed move to Williams for 2025, in partnership with Alex Albon, places Williams in a strong position. However, Red Bull’s interest adds an element of uncertainty. The idea of ​​Sainz moving to Red Bull is not entirely new, as Red Bull once considered him post-Ferrari. Yet they chose stability with Perez in this era. Now, the pressure on Perez and plans for the future could push Red Bull to reconsider this earlier choice.

Competition for seats within the Red Bull setup is intense, involving not only external drivers like Sainz and Colapinto, but also existing talent within their group. New Zealand’s Liam Lawson has emerged as a viable candidate for a senior seat after replacing Daniel Ricciardo at RB. Yuki Tsunoda, who is also on the sister team, remains a potential option. Both Lawson and Tsunoda are looking to prove their worth to secure a coveted position at Red Bull Racing.

Vowles sees value in feeding Colapinto, and Red Bull’s interest makes his case strong.

The timetable for deciding on these decisions is pressing, with resolutions expected before the end of the 2024 F1 season, particularly the Abu Dhabi finale.