Are you going for the ‘Czech’ seat? Red Bull admits that it cannot match Audi’s offer to Carlos Sainz – El Financiero

Helmut Markosports advisor Red Bullrecognizes that the Austrian team cannot match or beat the offer what Audi has apparently done to the Spanish racer Carlos Sainzthe Austrian press reports this Thursday.

“We are talking to him. “He is having his strongest season,” Marko said in an interview with the Austrian regional newspaper. Kleine Zeitungwhen asked if the Spaniard is part of Red Bull’s future plans.

Sainz, who after this season will leave Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton, has “a very lucrative offer from Audi” that his team cannot “match or improve,” he acknowledged without giving further details.

After having acquired the Sauber team, Audi will debut in Formula 1 in the 2026 season.

On the other hand, Marko recalled that Red Bull meets Sainz29 years old, very well from his time at Toro Rosso, his subsidiary team, where the Spaniard coincided with Max Verstappenthe dominant man of Formula 1 since 2021.

“But It really hurt him then when we bet on Verstappen in Red Bull and not because of him,” said the sports director of the Austrian team, which with the Dutchman at the helm has won the last three Formula 1 world championships.

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What will happen to ‘Checo’ Pérez in 2025?

At the same time, the contract Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez expires at the end of this season at Red Bull, Marko recalled. According to the sports director, it is most likely that the 34-year-old Mexicancurrently second in the championship, behind Verstappen, stay at Red Bull.

“It is clear that ‘Checo’ is having his best season since he has been with us (2022). “If he maintains this performance, like in the Japanese qualifying, then he will surely be the best option for Red Bull in 2025,” said Marko.

“He is a worker for the team and has recognized that his own radical path last year was the wrong one. Now his car is in the configuration closest to Max’s and that helps him,” concluded Helmut Marko.