If this driver goes to Red Bull, Verstappen will sleep worse'

Despite Carlos Sainz not yet having a contract in Formula 1, it seems unlikely that we will not be able to admire him on the grid next year. Former Formula 1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck tells Eurosport Germany that he would not extend Perez's contract so Sainz can drive for the Austrian team.

It was shocking news when it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would make a switch to Ferrari. This comes at the expense of Sainz. However, the Spaniard is coveted by many teams. Even Red Bull team boss Christian Horner already revealed that he is keeping an eye on the current Ferrari driver.

'Never understood why Sainz should leave Ferrari'

Stuck never understood that Sainz should leave Ferrari: "After the race [in Australia] you could see that he was still very much suffering from his appendicitis. So you have to appreciate his victory even more, because he did a great job. That was another confirmation of the doubts about his dismissal. Frederic Vasseur will not be happy with his decision afterwards."

'Then Verstappen would sleep worse'

Sainz may not yet have signed a contract for 2025, but there are plenty of opportunities lurking. If it is up to Stuck, the three-time race winner will replace Perez next season. Indeed, the German thinks the Spaniard could make things harder for Max Verstappen: "First of all, I would like it, because competition stimulates the business aspect. Then Max would definitely have to accelerate, which he can do. Secondly, I'm sure Max would sleep worse if he knew Sainz was going to be his new teammate."

The former driver continued: "Besides that, there comes a day in every career when you lose your status. Verstappen is number one at Red Bull, but at some point that is also over. Either he gets too old or a new teammate suddenly puts pressure on him. Such a situation can result in two things: Verstappen becomes even faster or he becomes weaker."