Carlos Sainz reveals that his Formula 1 dream almost came to an end in late 2014 when Red Bull promoted the significantly less experienced Max Verstappen.
Carlos Sainz is now one of the most established drivers on the Formula 1 starting grid. The Spaniard has already driven for Renault and McLaren, won races with Ferrari, and will be entering his twelfth season in the premier class with Williams in 2026.
However, at one point it was unclear whether the son of the rally legend of the same name would ever make it to Formula 1. At the end of 2014, Sainz seemed to have reached a dead end in Red Bull’s junior program.
“Red Bull told me: This is your last year. If you win the World Series [Formula Renault 3.5], there might be a place for you in Formula 1. If not, then no,” the now 31-year-old reports in the Chiringuito Inside podcast.
Sainz joined the Red Bull junior team in 2010, won the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup title in 2011, but failed to win any further championships in 2012 and 2013. As a result, he was under pressure in the 2014 season.
“So I changed my attitude, won the World Series—and suddenly they promoted Verstappen to Formula 1 instead of me,” recalls Sainz, who won the title ahead of Pierre Gasly at the time but still didn’t get a Formula 1 cockpit for the 2015 season.
Sainz’s chance thanks to Vettel’s move
Instead, Red Bull announced in the summer of 2014 that Max Verstappen, who was just 16 at the time, would be driving for Toro Rosso the following year. The Dutchman was thus promoted directly to the premier class after just one season and without a title in formula racing.
For Sainz, who was three years older, this decision was a low blow. “There were two or three months when I thought I wouldn’t be driving anymore,” the Spaniard recalls, explaining that his Formula 1 dream had been shattered for the time being.
However, fate later took a turn for the better when Sebastian Vettel decided to leave Red Bull at the end of 2014 to join Ferrari. This freed up a seat at Red Bull, which Daniil Kvyat took over—which in turn freed up his Toro Rosso cockpit. “A seat became available for me, and they put Verstappen and me together at Toro Rosso,” recalls Sainz, who made his debut in the premier class in 2015 alongside the Dutchman.
At the beginning of 2016, Verstappen was once again given internal preference when it came to promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull. In 2017, Sainz cut ties with the Bulls and moved first to Renault, then to McLaren, Ferrari, and finally to Williams.