F1 News: Lando Norris Laments Carlos Sainz's Missed Red Bull Opportunity

Lando Norris believes Carlos Sainz should have been chosen over Sergio Perez at Red Bull, despite Sainz signing with Williams.

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; McLaren driver Lando Norris (GBR) smiles at the crowd during the drivers parade of the Canadien Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

McLaren driver Lando Norris has openly expressed his views on Carlos Sainz's recent announcement that he will be joining the Williams F1 team from 2025 on a multi-year contract.

Carlos Sainz, formerly a teammate of Norris at McLaren before his move to Ferrari in 2021, has had a noteworthy stint in F1 with three wins under his belt since joining Ferrari. However, with Ferrari setting its sights on Lewis Hamilton for 2025, the Spanish driver's future was rife with speculation. Amidst this uncertainty, neither Red Bull nor Mercedes stepped forward with a firm interest, despite Sainz's proven record.

Red Bull, in contrast, chose to extend Sergio Pérez's contract beyond 2024, despite some performance setbacks, including a notable lack of podiums since the Chinese Grand Prix in April. This decision was confirmed post-summer break, with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner discussing Pérez's continuation with team employees.

Norris, reflecting on his close relationship with Sainz, offered a candid view on the situation. He commented during an interview with Sky Sports (below):

"The easy one is just to say Red Bull. He should have gone there, in my eyes.

"Obviously I'm biased, I know Carlos a lot more than I know Checo [Pérez] and that kind of thing, but Carlos deserves a lot. He's one of the best drivers in Formula One, he's proven that countless times, and I'm a good friend of his."

While Norris is pleased that Sainz will continue in Formula 1 with Williams, alongside Alex Albon, he believes that Sainz would have been a suitable fit for Red Bull, adding that this partnership at Williams would still benefit the sport.

"I'm happy for him that he's still in Formula One and I'm happy he's got a drive and can try and bring Williams back up. Him partnering Alex [Albon] will be good for Formula One at the same time.

"That's a good thing. But I'm sure a lot of people would love to say he should have gone to Red Bull, potentially, but that's not my decision to make."

Prior to the announcement earlier this week, Sainz had been linked to possible seats with Sauber/Audi and Alpine. Commenting on his move to Williams in a press release from the team, Sainz commented:

“I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards. It is no secret that this year’s driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision. However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport. The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and starting on January 1 I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.

“I want to thank James Vowles and the entire Board of Williams for their trust and determination. Their solid leadership and convictions have played an important role in my decision-making. I truly believe that the core of every successful team lies amongst their people and their culture. Williams is synonymous with heritage and pure racing, the foundations of the project that lies ahead of us are very strong and I am really looking forward to being part of it starting next year.”