Christian Horner reveals failed attempts to sign Sainz and Alonso

The dinner at Horner’s house

Carlos Sainz addressed claims regarding a potential move to Red Bull during an appearance on the Spanish television programme El Chiringuito in Madrid. The Williams driver responded to remarks made in the memoir Drive by former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Horner claimed he held discussions with Sainz about partnering Max Verstappen for the 2026 season. According to Horner, these talks occurred shortly before his dismissal from Red Bull in July 2025. He described Sainz as an experienced Grand Prix driver and a team player who he knew "would work his socks off for the team." Sainz appeared reluctant to expand on the details of the encounter. He told the programme, "Yes, he said I was at his house having dinner. It is what it is." His dismissal from the team principal role ended the possibility of the move, and Sainz remains with Williams.

Failed driver targets

Horner used his memoir to explain why other drivers did not join the Red Bull line-up. He began looking for experienced drivers in 2023 when Sergio Perez struggled to match the performance of Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso expressed interest in the seat and approached Horner during the Japanese Grand Prix to discuss partnering Verstappen for the following season. However, Helmut Marko informed Horner that the management for Verstappen was against the move. Horner also viewed Charles Leclerc as a candidate to replace Perez. He admired the loyalty Leclerc showed to Ferrari despite making mistakes that Red Bull managed to exploit. He also noted that Leclerc seemed increasingly frustrated with his situation at Maranello. Horner stated that Verstappen was not behind the decision to rule out the Monegasque.