Sainz, Albon Highlighted Amid Verstappen Red Bull Rumors

Carlos Sainz, now at Williams after his exit from Ferrari, has highlighted his strong past performances alongside Max Verstappen to argue he could be a valuable teammate again, expressing surprise that Red Bull did not consider him for a 2025 seat. Alex Albon, Sainz's teammate at Williams, has noted that their intra-team competition has drawn attention within the F1 paddock and emphasized the importance of having Sainz as a benchmark. Despite ongoing rumors linking Verstappen to Mercedes and Aston Martin, veteran journalist Andrew Benson suggests that Verstappen is still most likely to stay at Red Bull for the 2026 season. Red Bull's recent internal changes and performance issues have contributed to speculation, but Aston Martin remains an unlikely destination for Verstappen due to contractual factors. Both Sainz and Albon are focused on proving themselves at Williams as the driver market continues to evolve. The future of several top drivers, including Verstappen, remains uncertain as teams assess their options.