Marko compliments Ferrari: "Bringing in Sainz is good for them"

Carlos Sainz drove in Formula 1 three years for Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team. In the end the Spaniard ended up in a Ferrari at the age of 25. According to Helmut Marko Sainz would certainly have driven at his Austrian stables if Max Verstappen hadn't been present.

"First of all, Carlos is a great guy. Moreover, he is smart and fast", Marko is quoted by La Gazzetta Dello Sport. Red Bull's advisor looks back on the moments when he decided to give Sainz permission to leave for Renault (on a rental basis) and McLaren (definitively). "He was unlucky that someone like Max Verstappen was on the same track with us at the time."

According to Marko, Ferrari has made a good choice to choose Sainz as a replacement for Sebastian Vettel. "I am convinced that this will be good for Ferrari", says the 77-year-old Austrian, who knows that the Madrileen will not have it easy at the Maranello based race stable. "If he wants to be a winning driver, he will also face tough challenges, such as the fight with Charles Leclerc".

Marko doesn't know what Vettel is going to do

Marko is convinced of the qualities of Sainz, but why hasn't Red Bull tried to bring Sainz back? "Precisely because we have Max. It is our policy to strive for a top driver with a good 'shoulder'" explains Marko. The former Formula 1 driver further indicated in the interview that he still has frequent contact with Sebastian Vettel. "That is at least once a month. He remains a talented and very successful driver. Does he want to continue or not? I honestly don't know. The solution is in his head, only he can make such a decision."