F1 Transfer Latest: Sainz 'wants Red Bull', Perez to Williams and Alonso contract claims

Carlos Sainz looks at Max Verstappen with a disgruntled look — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 Transfer Latest: Sainz 'wants Red Bull', Perez to Williams and Alonso contract claims

The latest F1 transfer rumours in Silly Season 2026

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Sunday 9 August 2026 12:27

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Carlos Sainz is hoping for the chance to replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull next season, according to a prominent F1 insider.

BBC analyst Andrew Benson believes that Sainz, frustrated by the lack of progress at Williams in 2026, is indeed looking for a different seat next year.

But while most experts are putting the focus on Audi (who Sainz turned down in the past), Benson says the Spaniard has his eyes on a potentially bigger prize.

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Speaking on the Chequered Flag podcast, he revealed: "He's hoping for Red Bull. He's hoping that Max will leave Red Bull and there'll be a seat open there and he'll get it."

While replacing Verstappen (his Toro Rosso team-mate back in 2015 and 2016) might well be the ideal scenario for Sainz, Benson does not believe it will actually happen.

"I think what will happen if Verstappen leaves Red Bull, he's only going to two places - he's either going to Mercedes or McLaren.

"I think whoever he replaces at Mercedes, which would be Russell, or McLaren - which would be Piastri - would just go straight into the Red Bull, that's what I think would happen."

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Bearman says no to Aston Martin talk

The 21-year-old British prodigy Ollie Bearman is seen as one of the brightest young talents on the grid, and the future of the Haas star is absolutely a part of the 2026 silly season narrative.

Earlier this year there were some experts moving Bearman up to Ferrari for 2027 with the potential for Lewis Hamilton to leave Maranello, or retire at the age of 41.

A Hamilton renaissance this year means that now appears highly unlikely, and Bearman has now been linked with struggling Aston Martin as Fernando Alonso continues to consider his future beyond the end of this season.

The young British star though says it would not be the right move for him now, telling the Beyond The Grid podcast: ""Aston Martin are going through a tough time, but I'm sure that that one day they'll be incredibly strong, but I wouldn't say I'm looking towards them at this stage."

Bearman says his end goal remains a move to Ferrari one day, the team where he began his F1 career and the one to which he remains committed.

"So my goal remains to be a Ferrari driver one day. I don't want to be sitting around for three, four, five, years waiting for a seat to become available because there's no guarantees, and then you can be wasting your your best years.

A full-time seat at Ferrari is Bearman's ultimate goal.

"My ultimate goal is maybe a bit selfish, and that's okay because that's the reason I'm here, and that's because I want to be fighting for world championships.

"So if I can have that opportunity wherever I will take it, if that means it's not with Ferrari because they can't offer me that position, then that's life."

Alonso speculation swirls, which way will he go?

Along with Verstappen, Alonso remains one of the biggest chips to fall in this silly season. What happens with him potentially opens up a seat at Aston Martin for 2027.

So far the 45-year-old Spaniard has been linked with a Flavio Briatore reunion at Alpine, but you get the feeling he really wants to stay at Aston.

Alonso has waited more than two decades to drive an Adrian Newey car, and while 2026 has been a disaster so far, those recent Hungary upgrades do hint at better days to come.

Some unconfirmed reports this week claimed that Alonso is seeking 40million Euros per year for his next contract - which would put him in the same ballpark as that recent Charles Leclerc Ferrari extension.

The word from Spain meanwhile is that two-time world champion Alonso is leaning towards remaining with Aston Martin, with an announcement potentially coming around the time of the Dutch Grand Prix later this month.

Aston Martin will get their first Honda power unit upgrade for that race in the Netherlands, so Alonso should get a further clue to just how competitive his current car would turn out to be in 2027. That could be the clincher.

Alonso's future is the subject of much speculation.

Perez linked with Williams as potential Sainz replacement

Should Sainz find a landing spot to get him out of what has been a Williams nightmare in 2026, the iconic brand will need to replace the Spanish star. Enter another Latin pilot in the shape of Sergio Perez.

Japanese publication Auto Sport Web claim 'contrary to popular belief in the paddock', Perez's contract with F1's new team Cadillac is actually up at the end of the season rather than after 2027 - making him a potentially interesting Sainz replacement.

They add that the 36-year-old Mexican star's management team have already begun negotiations with James Vowles' team, as they look to get their 2027 setup lined up sooner rather than later.

Perez has been forced into retirement in four of the last seven grands prix, and has a best finish of 14th after 11 rounds. Cadillac may have helped him get back into the sport after his departure from Red Bull, but he needs to move on – anywhere – if he wants to get back to scoring points.

Hulk wants Audi stay if three conditions are met

Nico Hulkenberg appears happy to continue his career at Audi in 2027, and why wouldn't he. He's driving for a giant of a brand which is taking some promising first steps after entering F1 earlier this year.

The 38-year-old German's current deal expires at the end of the 2026 season, and he says he will be happy to renew assuming some conditions are met.

He told German outlet BILD: "As long as I'm having fun, the stopwatch is accurate, and the team wants me, I'll drive for Audi. I imagine that will continue for a while.

"Right now, though, all that matters to me is that we're moving in the right direction with the project. And we are. The rest will follow."

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

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F1 Max Verstappen Sergio Perez Carlos Sainz Fernando Alonso Nico Hulkenberg