Patrese advises Sainz against Red Bull move, warns of team's decline

Former F1 driver Riccardo Patrese has advised Carlos Sainz to stay at Williams, arguing that a potential move to Red Bull could be a step backwards due to the reigning champion's ongoing loss of key personnel. The warning comes as Sainz, who joined Williams for 2025 after leaving Ferrari, faces a pivotal career decision with his contract expiring at the end of this season.

Why it matters:

Sainz is one of the most sought-after drivers for the 2027 market, and his next move will significantly impact the F1 driver landscape. Patrese’s stark warning highlights the perceived instability at Red Bull following the departures of figures like Adrian Newey, suggesting the once-dominant team may no longer offer a guaranteed path to success. This adds a major layer of complexity to Sainz's decision-making process.

The details:

• In an interview, Patrese explicitly questioned the logic of Sainz leaving Williams, stating, "to leave a team like Williams would not make sense."
• He pointed to Red Bull's talent drain as a critical risk: "They’re losing all the key people, at the end they are going to be maybe even worse than Williams."
• Patrese emphasized Williams' positive trajectory from 2025, where Sainz secured two podiums, and the team's strong technical foundation with its Mercedes power unit.
• He also ruled out other top-team options for Sainz, noting a return to Ferrari is unlikely, McLaren's lineup is settled, and Mercedes is currently a "non-starter."
• The perspective is echoed by former Haas boss Guenther Steiner, who separately warned that new Red Bull CEO Laurent Mekies could need "years" to turn the team's fortunes around after its recent internal turmoil and performance dip.

What's next:

Sainz now faces a high-stakes evaluation of his 2027 options, weighing the long-term project at Williams against the uncertain future of a Red Bull team in transition. His performance for the remainder of 2026 will be crucial in determining his market value. Patrese's comments underscore that the safest bet may be continuity, putting pressure on Williams to demonstrate convincing progress to retain their star driver.