Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has insisted Carlos Sainz will remain a Toro Rosso driver next year, despite the Spaniard stating he won’t stay for a fourth term.
Sainz has been linked away from the Faenza-based outfit after an impressive start to this season, scoring points in six of the eight races so far contested.
The 22-year-old commented in the drivers’ press conference that a fourth successive year with Toro Rosso would be ‘unlikely’, however, Horner made it clear Sainz is contracted for 2018.
“He’s under contract. We’ve exercised his option as well, so he’s under contract,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“We have an option on him for next year and the year after, so he’ll be in a Toro Rosso again next year.”
Responding to Sainz’s claims he would look elsewhere if a Red Bull seat was not an option, Horner labelled his comments as ‘disingenuous’.
“Well I don’t know where he thinks he’ll be then,” he added. “Contracts are clear.
“You have to remember, he only got an opportunity in Formula 1 because of Red Bull investing in him in his junior years. It’s a little disingenuous to be making comments like that.
“A lot of investment goes into these guys to give them an opportunity. Without Red Bull he wouldn’t be sitting in a Formula 1 car.”
