Red Bull has dominated the F1 in the past few years both in the Drivers and the Constructors Championships. They have won the previous two Constructors titles and three Drivers titles. Their main man Max Verstappen has been in the thick of things and has made a habit of winning races week after week.
This season Verstappen again has a comfortable lead at the top of the Drivers standings with half of the season finished. However, the same cannot be said about the Constructors’ championship as Red Bull’s lead at the top is getting slimmer mainly due to Sergio Perez’s inconsistency.
The Mexican’s last podium came all the way back at the Chinese Grand Prix and has even struggled to make it out of Q1 of qualifying in the last few races. This has put Red Bull under increased pressure in the Constructors Championship by McLaren and Ferrari.
Despite recently signing a contract extension with Red Bull, Perez is at risk of getting replaced mid-season. According to various reports, his contract includes a clause that allows Red Bull to remove him from the seat mid-season. The contract states that Sergio Perez cannot be more than 100 points behind Max Verstappen at the end of the Belgian Grand Prix.
The current gap between the teammates is 137 points and with the Belgian GP just a couple of weeks away, it is extremely unlikely that Perez will bridge the gap to Verstappen.
This has left Red Bull with a huge decision to make about Perez’s future. Let us take a look at 5 drivers that can potentially replace Perez mid-season.
1. Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz’s name has been in the spotlight ever since he was shown the door by Ferrari. The signing of Lewis Hamilton will lead to Spainiard’s departure next season.
Sainz is no short of admirers in F1. However, finding a seat in the top F1 team is equally difficult. He was first tipped to fill Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes next season, however, Toto Wolff has denied such rumors and confirmed that Kimi Antonelli will be their main target.
Redbull’s contract extension with Sergio Perez left Williams and Alpine as front runners to secure his signature.
Things have taken a turn due to Perez’s struggles and Redbull are again looking for a possible replacement. Given that Sainz is still without a team for next season, he is once again a possible choice for the Mexican’s seat.
The move also makes sense in terms of Verstappen’s relationship with Sainz. The pair raced together for Redbull’s sister team Toro Rosso back in 2015 and have shared a good relationship since.
2. Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson currently serves as a reserve driver for Red Bull. The 22-year-old made a name for himself in 2023 when Daniel Ricciardo of Alpha Tauri broke his hand in the practice session of the Dutch GP. Lawson, being their reserve driver, was called up as a quick replacement for the Aussie.
After starting the race from the back of the grid, Lawson fought his way to a respectable 13th position, fighting Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and finishing ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the process. He was confirmed as Alpha Tauri driver until Ricciardo was medically fit.
In the Singapore GP, he famously knocked out Max Verstappen from Q2, which was an achievement in itself given the Verstappen’s dominance in the 2023 season. He managed to score two points from the race which were his first points of the F1 career.
Being the reserve driver gives Lawson an edge over his competitors to take Perez’s seat but it remains to be seen whether Red Bull do take a risk to give the youngster a chance when the Championship is at stake.
3. Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda has impressed everyone since day 1 at the F1. He joined the Alpha Tauri (currently RB Formula One Team) in 2021 replacing Daniil Kvyat. This is Tsunoda’s fourth season with Redbull sister team and he has established his name as one of the best drivers on the grid currently.
This season, the Japanese has amassed 20 points as compared to his teammate Riciarrdo’s 11. He is known for his aggressive racing style and is often regarded as ‘the face of the team’.
Tsunoda had been tipped to be the next Redbull driver but Perez’s extension meant that the 24-year-old was staying at RB Formula One Team. Now that Perez is struggling with his performances, Tsudona again is heavily linked to Red Bull.
4. Isack Hadjar
Isack Hadjar is a Red Bull junior who currently races in F2. He has enjoyed a terrific season so far with Campos Racing. In an eventful British GP last weekend he won the F2 race to take the lead in the F2 Drivers Championships.
He even replaced Sergio Perez in the Redbull seat at FP1 of the British Grand Prix. He will now have his sights set on replacing the Mexican permanently.
Hadjar, being the Red Bull junior, has spent a lot of time with Verstappen. In F2, the 19-year-old is often compared with the Dutchman and his ability to drive in the wet.
Hadjar has a promising future ahead of him and a move to Red Bull will underline his quality and maturity at such a young age.
5. Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo to Red Bull are the rumors that seem to have never gone away ever since the Aussie departed from the team in 2018.
Ricciardo and Verstappen raced together from 2016 to 2018 but following a team error during the pitstop of Monaco GP in 2018 which cost Ricciardo the race win, the Aussie decided to part ways with the team. Now there is a possibility of Ricciardo coming back to the Milton Keynes outfit if they do decide to part ways with Perez.
Given Ricciardo’s experience at the highest level, he seems to be a safe pick at the mid point of the season to help Verstappen in guiding Red Bull to their third Constructors Championship in a row.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
