Helmut Marko says Red Bull are “talking” to 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz about a potential mov♍e for 2025 - but revealed they won't be able to “match” Audi’s “lucrative offer”.

Sainz is still without a drive for the 2025 F1 season with one less option on the table after 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fernando Alonso’s new Aston Martin deal was announced last week.

The Spaniard remains linked to Red Bull - should they decide to replace 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Sergio Perez - and Mercedes - as an alte🦩rnative to protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Audi looks set to be Sainz’s most likely option though given they are keen to replace both 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Valtteri Bottas and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Zhou Guanyu.

Speaking 💫to the , Marko confirmed talks with Sainz have taken place while detailing a 🎶major offer from Audi.

"We are talking to him, he is having his best se🎶ason in Formula 1, but he has a very lucrative offer from Audi and we cannot match or beat that,” Marko said.

“We remember him from his time at Toro Rosso when he drove alongside Max. However, it hurt h🍬im a lot that at Red Bull, we chose Verstappen and not him.”

Sainz’s chances of joining Reღd Bull may come down to the form of Perez.

Perez has finished second in three of the opening four races, making it another🐷 strong start for the Mexican.

More impressively, Perez was within a tenth of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen’s pole time at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Whiꦛle Perez did fin𓄧ish 12 seconds off the lead, it was a notable improvement at a circuit he performed terribly at in 2022.

Marko conceded that if Perez’s good form continues then he will be the “b💎est option” for Red Bull in 2025.

“It is clear that 'Checo' is currently having his best season since he has been with us. If he can keep up these performances, especially qualifying in Japan, then he is definitely the best option for Red Bu𒐪ll in 2025,” he added.

“He is a team player and has now realised that his radical approach in terms of setup last year was the wrong one. Now he has a setup much more simi🔯lar to Max's.”

Eyes on McLaren duo

Red Bull continue to remain interested in McLaren duo 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris and 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri.

🐬Both drivers signed new deals to keep them with the team until at least the end of 2026 in the ca𝐆se of Norris.

Marko admi♒tted either driver could be options in the future.

“Norris has at least one contract un🎀til 2026🎐, so he is not an option in the short term, nor is Oscar Piastri,” he said.

“But both drivers are certainly interesting fꦗ🎀or us in the future.”

It’s likely Red Bull will have to go outside of their dr🐭iver pool in the future with Marko making it clear there’s no ‘next Verstappen’.

Marko did name French driver Isack Hadjar as someone h🌞e’s looking at, claiming that the Red Bull junior would have been leading F2 had it not been for bad luck.

“There will never be a Verstappen again, at least𝓀 I don't see one at the moment. But we always deal with young drivers, he explained” “Isack Hadjar, for example, w༺as simply unlucky in Formula 2 recently, otherwise he would lead the series.”