Power struggles at Red Bull may be opening the door for a shock departure of its prized asset Max Verstappen, which would have been unthinkable just weeks ago. Needless to say, the touted possibility of Verstappen activating certain exit clauses to move before the end of his 2028 deal has put rival teams on high alert.
Initially, Verstappen seems to dictate which top seat remains open for Sainz to slot into. If Verstappen remains where he is and Mercedes goes for a different option, then Sainz is in a tricky position. The much-reported interest from Sauber, which will become Audi in two years, would then be his best bet, although it would inevitably present a risky downgrade in the short term. But Sainz has now also emerged as an option for Red Bull's second seat of Sergio Perez.