Pink Bull staff principal Christian Horner has indicated why the staff didn’t take into account hiring Carlos Sainz Jnr to interchange the struggling Sergio Perez.
Sainz was beforehand a member of Pink Bull’s junior academy and made his F1 debut alongside Max Verstappen at their second staff, identified on the time as Toro Rosso in 2015. Nevertheless after Verstappen was promoted to Pink Bull, Sainz by no means had the chance to hitch him and later joined a succession of the staff’s rivals.
Earlier than this season started Sainz discovered he would lose his Ferrari seat for 2025. Perez struggled for a lot of this season however Pink Bull solely confirmed right now, 10 days after the championship’s conclusion, that he won’t drive for them subsequent 12 months.
The announcement got here regardless of Pink Bull handing Perez a two-year contract extension, which they made public in June. Horner indicated the choice was taken earlier, which dominated out the potential of choosing Sainz as Perez’s alternative.
“I feel Carlos is a superb driver and we’ve seen that clearly this 12 months at some instances,” he informed Sky. “You’ve received to have a look at all the varied standards and dynamics.
“On the level that we prolonged Checo’s contract it’s a must to do not forget that he was second on the planet championship and ending on the rostrum within the first 4 out of 5 races.”
Pink Bull motorsport marketing consultant Helmut Marko claimed earlier this 12 months Verstappen and Sainz had a poor relationship throughout their time at Toro Rosso. “The ambiance between the 2 at Toro Rosso was fairly poisonous,” he stated.
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Horner stated Perez took the choice to go away the staff however steered he intends it to be non permanent.
“On the time we signed [the deal] he’d had 4 podiums in 5 races so it was a logical extension simply to take away hypothesis of which there was already an excessive amount of across the staff,” stated Horner.
“After all, any contract has sure efficiency clauses and standards inside it so it didn’t make any distinction to this determination of Sergio’s to step away and take a sabbatical.”
He confirmed RB duo Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are the 2 drivers into consideration to companion Verstappen subsequent 12 months.
“We now have the entire data that we want,” he stated. “Basically, it’ll be a alternative between Yuki and Liam.
“Each have gotten sturdy credentials. We examined Yuki not too long ago on the tyre take a look at in Abu Dhabi for an opportunity for him to work with the engineering staff. Liam has carried out plenty of testing with us behind the scenes this 12 months as properly and has pushed very properly within the six or seven races that he’s had.
“So we’ve got all the knowledge, we’re simply taking a look at it and contemplating all of that, talking with the engineering staff as properly. And we’ll come to a conclusion within the coming days.”
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