by Alex Johnston, Topher Smith & Linus O’Howell
Just over a month on from Sergio Perez being announced as staying with Red Bull through 2025 and potentially 2026, the Mexican finds himself in the spotlight as rumours accelerate about the 34 year old being replaced.
A spate of poor results sees Perez sitting sixth in the drivers standings, with both Mercedes drivers breathing down his neck. Additionally with the ever improving McLaren’s, consistent Mercedes results and the looming threat of the Ferrari’s - Red Bull will also be beginning to worry about the team’s championship.
📸 Perez’s recent form makes for grim viewing.
With this: Alex, Topher and Linus have made our choices to replace the struggling F1 veteran.
Alex’s choice - Liam Lawson
Other than a lack of F1 experience, I see no see no reason 22 year old Liam Lawson shouldn’t be the next partner to current world champion Max Verstappen.
In 2023 the New Zealander got fans talking with his strong performances next to Yuki Tsunoda in a struggling Alpha Tauri team, even out-qualifying potential teammate Verstappen in Singapore as he enjoyed a five race stint in place of Daniel Ricciardo, who himself had replaced Nyck De Vries earlier in the season.
📸 Lawson finished P9 in the Singapore Grand Prix in 2023 - a race widely regarded as the toughest race of the season.
Add to that, Lawson competed in the Japanese Super Formula series - a championship that is probably the closest thing to F1 without racing on F1 - where he narrowly lost out on the title but just eight points to Ritomo Miyata, who is now in Formula 2.
📸 Lawson in (picturesque) Super Formula action.
His inexperience will probably hold him back, but on the other hand Red Bull have a record of fast tracking drivers to the top seat - Alex Albon had just just 12 races worth of experience before moving up, although it didn’t really work out in the end.
Topher’s choice - Yuki Tsunoda
How is it that Yuki Tsunoda is being overlooked so much by Red Bull? He's comfortably outperforming a seasoned veteran that has eight Grand Prix wins to his name and has grown as a racer and a person so much in the last few seasons. I don't get what more Yuki has to do to be taken seriously as a contender for the top team.
Yes, he still has his occasional moments of immaturity and anger, but which racing driver doesn't?
📸 Now in his fourth F1 season, Tsunoda has become recognised for his pace and is an experienced campaigner already.
Time and time again, Tsunoda has shown what he is made of and that he deserves a shot alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull. Whether he would be successful or not is another matter and remains to be seen, but I don't see what more the Japanese can do to convince the top brass that he is ready and deserving of such a promotion.
📸 Despite his rapid rise through the formula ranks to F1 Tsunoda has never had a test with the top Red Bull team.
With one more season at RB upcoming for Tsunoda, 2026 should be either Red Bull or move on for the Japanese.
Linus’s choice - Carlos Sainz
With the way things are going for Sergio Perez and McLaren’s recent upturn in performance, it might make sense for Red Bull to replace him at the end of the season. Whilst there are a couple of good options in the RBR family, for me, Carlos Sainz is the way to go!
Sainz is currently without a drive for 2025 and it would be silly for Red Bull not to look into it as Sainz is a three time Grand Prix winner and he’s also currently fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship, just four points behind his current Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.
📸 Sainz and Verstappen to reunite? The pair were Toro Rosso teammates from 2015 up until Verstappen’s 2016 promotion to Red Bull.
Whilst it might be in Red Bull’s mind to replace Checo mid-season, it feels more beneficial for RBR in the long term to keep hold of Perez till the end of the year and bring in Sainz for 2025 and beyond.
📸 Sainz is still seatless for 2025 - what is his best option?
📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Visa Cashapp RB F1 Team, Liam Lawson, Ferrari.
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