Marko Sainz Fascinating Form

Marko: Sainz’s Fascinating Form Not Fueling Rumors

29/03/2024

Helmut Marko praises Carlos Sainz’s form but remains wary of fueling transfer rumors amidst Red Bull’s calm.

Marko acknowledges that Sainz is in ‘fascinating form’ but doesn’t want to “fuel the rumors” within the Red Bull camp. Carlos Sainz has been riding high since his victory in Melbourne.

His impressive performance in Australia has certainly repositioned the 29-year-old Spaniard in the transfer market, with the Ferrari driver reminding everyone with a smile after his win that he is still unemployed for 2025.

Since then, he’s been named as a serious contender for two seats. The first is with Mercedes F1, where he could end up if Max Verstappen indeed stays at Red Bull Racing. Otherwise, there could indeed be an opportunity for him to return to the Red Bull fold.

When asked if Sainz stands a chance, Helmut Marko responds: “Of course, his form is fascinating!”

But then he steers his response to see Sainz as a potential replacement for Perez, not Verstappen.

“I’m not going to fuel the rumors when I’ve said that calm has returned. So, you see Sainz taking Checo’s place?” he says with a smile.

“You have to understand that Checo has had three good races this year. If he finished so far back in Melbourne, it was because of a floor with deteriorated performance (due to a tear-off stuck, editor’s note) and tire degradation. His only weakness is qualifying, so if he can improve on that, we’ll win on all fronts.”

“I don’t need to think about that. The atmosphere in the team is very good, including him.”

Marko admits that Yuki Tsunoda, who is clearly positioning himself for a Red Bull seat in 2025, remains a puzzle still.

“One would need another driver for comparison. The question is: Has Yuki become a top-level driver, or has Daniel really become that weak? After three races on three completely different circuits, there’s still no objective answer.”

Marko Sainz Fascinating Form. Marko Sainz Fascinating Form

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