Shock new candidate could rival Ricciardo and Norris for Perez’s Red Bull seat

The Ferrari driver’s long-term future remains up in the air with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2024 season, along with his teammate Charles Leclerc. 

But while Leclerc has reportedly signed a new long-term deal to drive for Ferrari until the end of the 2029 season, contract negotiations with Sainz appear to be hitting a stumbling block. 

According to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sainz wants a minimum two-year extension, but Ferrari’s preference is to offer the Spaniard a one-year deal. 

If fresh terms cannot be agreed, the Italian publication claims Sainz could replace Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025. 

Perez, who faced intense scrutiny over his Red Bull future for much of the second half of the 2023 season due to his underwhelming performances, only has a valid contract for next season. 

And Gazzatta say that Sainz - a product of Red Bull’s junior scheme who was overlooked for promotion during his time at Toro Rosso - could be high up on Red Bull’s list of potential candidates for 2025. 

The 29-year-old Spaniard has also found himself linked to Audi’s F1 project but has repeatedly stressed his desire to remain a Ferrari driver. 

If the reports turn out to be true, Sainz could find himself going head-to-head with AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren’s Lando Norris to become Verstappen’s next teammate.