Verstappen 'Would Sleep Worse' Knowing Sainz Is His New Teammate Says Stuck

Friday, 29 March 2024 at 13:45

Updated at Friday, 29 March 2024 at 13:51

Former F1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck asserted he would put Carlos Sainz into Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen as soon as possible.

Many were surprised when Carlos Sainz's decision to end his collaboration with Ferrari was announced. On the one hand, it is the seven-time World Champion that will replace him.

On the other hand, the 29-year-old has proved to be equally matched to his teammate Charles Leclerc throughout the last couple of seasons. Yet, at the moment, he is without a contract for the 2025 season. Hans-Joachim Stuck told Eurosport:

"If I were the boss of Red Bull, I would use all means possible to find a fair solution to terminate the contract with Sergio Perez. There are certainly clauses in the contract."

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"And then I would offer Sainz the cockpit. At the moment there is no one better."

When Red Bull boss Helmut Marko was approached with speculations about potentially replacing Perez with Sainz, he highlighted the performance of his Mexican driver, saying that if he improves his qualifying, there is nothing to think about.

Stuck, on the contrary, believes the team from Milton Keynes should strongly consider the 29-year-old Spanish F1 driver. He explained:

Firstly, I would like it because competition stimulates business. Then Max would have to accelerate even more, which he can certainly do. Secondly, I’m sure Max would sleep worse if he knew that Sainz would be his new teammate.

The former F1 driver also believes that Verstappen should be put under pressure, and he is convinced Sainz is the man who can do it.

"In addition, there comes a day in every career when you lose your status. Verstappen is number one at Red Bull – but at some point that too will be over."

"Either he is getting too old or a new team-mate is suddenly putting pressure on him. Such a situation can result in two things: Verstappen becomes even faster or he falls apart."

Sainz is currently one of Red Bull's best options in the driver market. However, rumors over the last two weeks suggest that Red Bull is considering either Fernando Alonso or Perez. Do you think the Austrian team should instead aim for Sainz?