Ex-Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes that Red Bull would be better served signing Carlos Sainz over Franco Colapinto to partner Max Verstappen in 2025.
Sergio Perez’s continued struggle this season has prompted rumours that his position with Red Bull isn’t secure, despite the Mexican possessing a deal through 2026.
Colapinto’s emergence since replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams mid-season has witnessed him become touted as a serious candidate to replace Perez at Red Bull.
The Argentine entering contention has come amid Williams being unable to provide him with a drive next term as it has signed Sainz to partner incumbent Alex Albon.
But while it was suspected Red Bull boss Christian Horner’s visit to Williams in Brazil was about Colapinto, reports arose that its discussions centred on Sainz’s name.
However, Horner has quashed the speculation that Red Bull is contemplating a move to hire Sainz, who entered the series with the squad’s second team back in 2015.
Montoya, though, has urged Red Bull to reconsider its stance on Sainz, whom he has underlined would be better prepared to go up against Verstappen than Colapinto.
“If I were Christian Horner and the director of Red Bull, I would go to Williams and say, ‘look, you’re happy with Colapinto, keep him and give me Sainz’,” he told W Radio Colombia.
“Why am I going to take the risk of replacing Checo – who is experienced in Formula 1, has won races – to put a rookie against Max.
‘A rookie against Albon is tough, but you can do it.
“And look at Albon, whenever he has been under pressure and has had a fast team-mate he has crashed and continues to do so.
“Max doesn’t make mistakes and he doesn’t fail, so it’s complicated.”
Red Bull could pounce on potential Sainz exit clause
Montoya suspects Sainz’s Williams deal comprises an exit clause which would allow him to leave when he wants should a side higher up the grid be interested in him.
The Colombian, who won seven races in his F1 career, has argued that Red Bull should aim to pounce on that to negotiate a deal to acquire the outgoing Ferrari driver.
“Personally, if I were Christian, I would say to him, ‘do you like Colapinto so much and do you want to make him grow?’,” he continued.
“Me knowing Carlos, I think he has told Williams that he signed for them, but if he doesn’t win or do podiums, if someone offers me something, every year I can leave.
“Then they [Red Bull] could say to [Williams], ‘you can lose Carlos now or in a year, now you get money and next year you get no money’.
“If it was like that, that’s the move I would make for Red Bull, I wouldn’t go for Colapinto, I would go for Carlos.”
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