Faced with the idea of recreating an iconic karting race featuring the current F1 stars, Carlos Sainz said the drivers of today would not have the time. Well, everyone except Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n
According to Sainz, the only driver who could commit to such an event would be Verstappen<\/a>. As per Sainz, Verstappen has it \u201cwritten into his contracts\u201d at Red Bull that he will not do marketing and interviews.<\/p>\n Unique Max Verstappen Red Bull clause claimed by Carlos Sainz<\/p>\n Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Verstappen has, in recent years, ramped up his schedule outside of Formula 1 in the world of GT racing. That included making his debut in the N\u00fcrburgring 24 Hours in May.<\/p>\n Lance Stroll made his GT3 debut during the April F1 break, but generally, full-time F1 drivers do not often race in other categories.<\/p>\n But it has been suggested by Sainz that Verstappen\u2019s Red Bull contract allows him more spare time.<\/p>\n The details of a driver contract are rarely made public. It is even rarer for drivers to talk about the contract of another driver.<\/p>\n But, as per Sainz\u2019s unverified claim, Verstappen is contractually exempt from some of the additional marketing and media commitments, which can be time-consuming for drivers on top of their race weekend activities.<\/p>\n Sainz, during a Mundo Deportivo<\/a> interview, quipped that he would win a karting race between the current F1 class. He was reminded of the old Elf Masters indoor karting competition, featuring the F1 stars, which ran between 1993-2011.<\/p>\n According to Sainz, the current schedule that comes with being an F1 driver means they would not be able to compete in an annual event like that these days.<\/p>\n That does not apply to Verstappen, says Sainz.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that in a 24-race championship, with all the marketing and interviews we do, that\u2019s impossible. No driver could manage it.<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026 Max would be the only one, because he\u2019s the only one who doesn\u2019t do marketing or interviews \u2013 he has it written into his contracts, he can afford to do so, and Red Bull accepts it.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for the rest of us, we simply don\u2019t have the time or the free capacity to put our energy into a race like that.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull waiting after crucial future talks<\/a><\/p>\n Jos Verstappen speaks out as Schumacher sparks new Max to Mercedes rumour<\/a><\/p>\n Sainz and his Williams team have endured a challenging start to F1 2026. The same could be said for Verstappen and Red Bull.<\/p>\n Williams generated plenty of buzz after its strong 2025 showing ahead of the 2026 regulation changes.<\/p>\n But, Williams has scored just 11 points across the opening seven rounds, six of those scored by Sainz.<\/p>\n Williams team principal James Vowles has insisted that Sainz and Alex Albon remain committed to the Williams project. It has not stopped speculation bubbling up over Sainz\u2019s long-term future with the team.<\/p>\n Sainz was told that Vowles had targeted 2028 for Williams to fight with the top teams.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s a realistic goal now, but it\u2019s also true that the step backwards we\u2019ve taken this year may well have delayed that goal by a few months or a year,\u201d Sainz responded.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly how much it has delayed it in terms of my own timeline \u2013 what I thought this project would take to become a winning team.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s true that last year we were closer to the leaders than expected, and this year further away than expected, so perhaps one thing balances out the other.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something I\u2019m working on, in my own mind too \u2013 how long I\u2019m prepared to wait to win again in Formula 1.<\/p>\n \u201cI want that time to be as short as possible, and that\u2019s why, even though James says 2028, I\u2019m going to push the team to make it happen sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n Sainz is a four-time grand prix winner, all of those achieved during his time at Ferrari.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n