Horner lost the backing of the Thai owners<\/a>, and with the Austrian side of the Red Bull business looking to go in a new direction, Laurent Mekies<\/a> was appointed.<\/p>\n However, the underlying issue throughout this season has been the threat of Max Verstappen<\/a> potentially moving on.<\/p>\n Position Drivers’ Championship PointsPts 1 284 2 275 3 187 4 172 5 151 6 109 7 64 8 54 9 37 10 27 <\/p>\n Verstappen has won four drivers\u2019 championships<\/a> on the bounce; however, it was evident last year that Red Bull were losing their place at the top of the sport.<\/p>\n This year has confirmed those fears, with the Dutchman nearly 100 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.<\/p>\n Verstappen was heavily linked with joining Mercedes<\/a>, and in case he moved on, Horner needed a backup plan.<\/p>\n He was eyeing two drivers in particular, but journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm believes Horner was hatching a \u2018very aggressive\u2019 plan to steal Carlos Sainz<\/a> from Williams<\/a>.<\/p>\n READ MORE: All to know on sacked Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth<\/a><\/p>\n Mitchell-Malm was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast about Red Bull\u2019s driver plans and said: \u201cI know that the one place where Sainz was on the radar was Christian Horner\u2019s Red Bull.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that Sainz was part of a very, very aggressive sort of Verstappen plan B, basically, that Horner quite liked the idea of.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich was, well, if Verstappen\u2019s gone, you\u2019ve got a load of money and you\u2019ve got no potential tension or anything like that to worry about.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, the idea of them paying a load of money to extract Carlos Sainz, who they could have got for free last year, not for free, but, he was a free agent, they had to pay him a salary, of course.<\/p>\n \u201cGo after Sainz and George Russell, because obviously Verstappen, if he left Red Bull, he\u2019d going to Mercedes. So I feel like Sainz was on the Red Bull radar.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Williams star Carlos Sainz\u2019s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height<\/a><\/p>\n Carlos Sainz makes decision on Williams contract exit clause after tricky 2025 season<\/p>\n Sainz was one of the stars of the 2024 F1 season, despite knowing throughout the campaign that he was about to be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.<\/p>\n His victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix was imperious, dominating qualifying and navigating Verstappen with ease to take the fourth win and 27th podium of his Formula 1 career.<\/p>\n Sainz has struggled at times since joining Williams<\/a>, and while there have been moments of brilliance, he\u2019s currently 38 points behind teammate Alex Albon.<\/p>\n Team principal James Vowles was delighted to secure the Spaniard\u2019s signature when he also had interest from Alpine and Sauber, and will still have full faith in the 30-year-old.<\/p>\n TEAMDRIVER 1DRIVER 2AlpinePierre GaslyN\/AAston MartinFernando AlonsoLance StrollAudiGabriel BortoletoNico HulkenbergCadillacN\/AN\/AFerrariCharles LeclercLewis HamiltonHaasEsteban OconOliver BearmanMcLarenLando NorrisOscar PiastriMercedesN\/AN\/ARacing BullsN\/AN\/ARed Bull RacingMax VerstappenN\/AWilliamsAlex AlbonCarlos Sainz2026 confirmed F1 drivers<\/p>\n![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2168172041-1024x585.jpg\")
Photo by Bryn Lennon \u2013 Formula 1\/Formula 1 via Getty ImagesChristian Horner hatched \u2018very aggressive\u2019 plan to sign Carlos Sainz if Max Verstappen left Red Bull<\/p>\n![\"Ferrari](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-1240985488-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Vince Mignott\/MB Media\/Getty Images<\/p>\n