Formula One’s notorious rumour mill has once again been sent into overdrive after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was spotted chatting away with Red Bull team consultant Helmut Marko in the paddock at the Grand Prix of Japan.
Sainz has not yet finalized his future plans following the news that Lewis Hamilton will be joining Ferrari in 2025, replacing him while Charles Leclerc remains in his current seat.
Nevertheless, recent images from the Suzuka paddock have sparked speculation about Sainz’s upcoming decisions.
During the interaction, Sainz, Marko, and Sky Germany presenter Peter Hardenacke were caught on camera engaging in a conversation, with all three of them appearing to be in good spirits.
However, what truly stood out was the handshake exchanged between Sainz and Marko.
Nothing quite like a public handshake to get tongues wagging…#F1 #CarlosSainz #HelmutMarko #F12025 pic.twitter.com/dktZTNtEoA
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) April 5, 2024
🎥 IMAGEN DAZN: Cazamos a Carlos Sainz hablando con Helmut Marko en Japón 👀#JaponDAZNF1 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/fcv1sSmRJK
— DAZN España (@DAZN_ES) April 5, 2024
Certainly, it is plausible that Sainz and Marko were merely exchanging greetings, and there might not be any significant implications to be drawn from it.
However, considering Sainz’s uncertain seat for the upcoming season and the uncertainty surrounding Sergio Perez’s future with Red Bull in 2025, it is possible that there is a deeper meaning to their handshake than initially perceived.
Sainz is quite familiar with the Red Bull setup as he started his F1 career with Toro Rosso, which is now called Visa Cash App RB.
After spending two complete seasons with Red Bull’s sister team, he made a move to Renault towards the end of his third year with Toro Rosso.
Sainz heads into the Japanese Grand Prix with a remarkable triumph in Melbourne still fresh in his mind. It’s truly impressive how he managed to secure the win just a mere two weeks after his appendix surgery.
Leave a Reply