Signing a new multi-year contract did not work out for Sergio Pérez, and now the hypotheses about his long career at Red Bull have returned.
After another Q1 outing at Silverstone, followed by a rain-affected race with two laps from winner Lewis Hamilton, the tension is building significantly on Perez, with Red Bull nervously following the Constructors’ Championship, their dominance is likely over.
Here’s what some of our writers think. . .
Thomas Maher: Let’s rip off this 12-month bandage, shall we?
Since Daniel Ricciardo returned to the fold at Red Bull, it has been an attempt to see if he has what it takes to reinstate Max Verstappen. Over the last year there have been glimpses of the old Ricciardo but, more importantly, he has had some time to play with Yuki Tsunoda.
Given that Tsunoda doesn’t seem to be a suitable candidate to upgrade to Sergio Perez, for whatever reason, there’s nothing to lose if you get an answer to Ricciardo’s question. Perez is unable to get out of his annual spiral and, after 3 years, the feats he performed on behalf of Verstappen in Abu Dhabi no longer allow him to gain more time.
With the Constructors’ Championship really at stake this year, with Red Bull presenting a strong driving force against Mercedes’ two-car teams McLaren and Ferrari, it’s time to get Perez off the front row and put Ricciardo in the standings for the bottom 10. races of the year.
If it thrives, stay until 2025. If not, then at least the question on Red Bull’s brain has been answered.
As for Perez, he doesn’t thrive under pressure. He has shown in the future that he is a very strong and capable midfielder, and the VCARB environment will suit him better.
If he can’t bear the ignominy of a mid-season demotion, or makes the decision to continue with new surroundings elsewhere, Red Bull has few options: Liam Lawson waits in the wings, while Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar presents “a strong case. ” by himself” as he leads the Formula 2 championship.
However, I understand that Lawson’s running hours disappointed Red Bull: their fastest benchmark time was two tenths of Verstappen’s predicted benchmark time for the weekend. Therefore, his chances of securing a position in either Red Bull team may depend on how Perez plays in the final two races before the summer break.
I think big adjustments are coming for the Red Bull drivers, and this is the last possibility for Perez and Ricciardo. New faces are coming for one or any of the teams for 2025, and the last 10 races this year allow for in-depth analysis. evaluation of how other drivers are doing, all with little threat as Perez’s performances have been very poor lately.
And if hiring internally is not to Red Bull’s liking, Carlos Sainz is available. . .
Jamie Woodhouse: This new crisis from Perez mirrors what we saw last season in the F1 veteran, but Red Bull saw him as their best option to join Verstappen for F1 2024. Of course, this time, a fundamental difference in the situation.
Red Bull won 21 of 22 Grands Prix last season, meaning even Perez, who was struggling to stay fit, would never threaten their hold on the Constructors’ Championship title. Pérez also achieved a double in the drivers’ championship.
But now Red Bull has lost that advantage over the rest they enjoyed, and McLaren and Mercedes are not content to follow at their heels, so a one-man attack by Verstappen would arguably not be enough for Red Bull to win a seventh Manufacturers’ Championship. . title.
Verstappen has hurt many Red Bull teammates, think Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, while Perez is now struggling to hold on, but instead of accepting at this level that Verstappen is in another universe and that his teammate will have difficulties, Red Bull wants a new face. in that seat of the moment. They want Liam Lawson.
Launched at the end of last season when Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand at Zandvoort, Lawson has proven to be a revelation, not only in terms of performance, but also in his unflappable face in the face of what has been a huge challenge with second-placed Red Bull. . in such a short time.
Lawson has been unlucky to miss out on a full-time ride this season and if Red Bull cannot give him a seat in F1 2025, then, according to pilot program boss Helmut Marko, that contractually frees Lawson to leave. With the form Perez is in at the moment, it seems Red Bull has nothing to lose by giving Lawson a chance.
Elizabeth Blackstock: Although Sergio Perez brings in a lot of sponsors, it is clear that Red Bull can no longer maintain its position at the highest level. It’s time to move on as soon as possible.
Let’s say Perez is suffering in Hungary and Belgium, leaving Red Bull free to cut ties. It’s time to advertise Daniel Ricciardo. . . as a replacement.
Since his mid-season return in 2023, Ricciardo hasn’t surpassed teammate Yuki Tsunoda in terms of performance, but Ricciardo was just a placeholder, right? No ? Let’s end 2024 by selling the Australian a reserved seat in the big leagues.
That leaves his VCARB seat open for the driver who deserves to give F1 a chance: Liam Lawson.
Lawson demonstrated his ability behind the wheel of an F1 team replacing the injured Ricciardo last year, but it is sensible to give him some time to really get a feel for the intricacies of the game before putting him through his paces with a seat in the soul. Max Verstappen, incredibly competitive. Save it for 2025, when Ricciardo can retire with dignity.
So, 2025. Lawson is at Red Bull and Ricciardo and Perez are gone. Who holds the VCARB position?
Let me dream a little, if you will. A certain Mr. Duck O’Ward is lately ranked high enough in the IndyCar series to earn enough Super License numbers to finally try his hand at F1. Why not do something a little crazy and give some other Mexican driver a chance in the big leagues?
And if that doesn’t work out, well, Isack Hadjar will have had one more year in F2 to prove he’s fit to compete in F1.
Henry Valantine: At this rate it will have to be Liam Lawson, right?Again, given the evolution of the engine market, surely nothing is certain.
Helmut Marko’s recent claims that VCARB deserves to be a junior team are the most telling sign yet that the team will opt for youth, and if Red Bull doesn’t stick with Perez (as it does), I may see a return for Ricciardo. It’s probably more likely that a chimney situation for Lawson, it’s unfair that Yuki Tsunoda’s call is supposedly not taken seriously in those conversations around the “senior” seat, given how well he drives him this season.
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