Red Bull Racing has reportedly severed ties with its driver, Carlos Sainz Jr, and the Spaniard is no longer involved in the future of the Austrian team. This is according Germany's Auto Bild after Sainz has criticized Red Bull and Toro Rosso in recent weeks in a number of different interviews.

With Red Bull reportedly severing connections with Sainz, the team will let the driver move to Renault, despite holding a contract with Toro Rosso for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Currently, Renault's Managing Director, Cyril Abiteboul, and Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko are negotiating a deal to get Sainz out of his Toro Rosso contract, although the Enstone-based team would have to raise an expected $8 million.

If Renault are able to raise this amount of money, Sainz would replace Jolyon Palmer at Renault for the Hungarian Grand Prix to partner Nico Hulkenberg, while Red Bull Junior Pierre Gasly would replace Sainz at Toro Rosso.

"If a driver does not want to stay, if the love is extinguished, you can not force a contract with contracts, you should let go," said Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz when talking to Auto Bild at the Austrian Grand Prix last week.

Chris Soulsby