The battle for the second seat at Red Bull is still ongoing as Sergio Perez’s contract extension continues to be a topic of discussion. Despite a strong start to the 2024 F1 season, the team is uncertain about the upcoming year. This uncertainty may be due to Perez’s performance last season, where he started off well but experienced a significant decline midway through. Red Bull wants to observe Perez’s performance throughout the rest of the year before making a decision on the vacant seat for 2025. The team has emphasized that they are not under pressure to make a hasty decision, even with Audi’s involvement in the driver market for 2026.
Carlos Sainz is considered one of the top contenders for the 2025 Red Bull seat. The driver market has unexpectedly become a hot topic in April, which is unusual for this time of the year. Red Bull, however, is not getting caught up in the frenzy and will take their time to make the best choice. They are aware of Audi’s attempts to influence the driver market, but find it peculiar for a newcomer to exert such pressure.
The focus on Sainz potentially joining Red Bull in 2025 is due to his impressive performance. Despite not having secured a drive for next year, he is being considered as a top candidate for Audi in 2026. Nevertheless, Red Bull is in no hurry to finalize their driver lineup for 2025, despite the pressure from Audi. The German manufacturer aims to announce their 2026 driver lineup early, possibly as soon as next year.
After Red Bull’s dominant performance at the Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes boss expressed his belief that the team would not face any challenges for the remainder of the season. He confidently stated that the Dutch driver, Max Verstappen, would easily secure his fourth consecutive World Championship. These comments from the Mercedes boss unsettled Helmut Marko, who responded during an interview. Marko acknowledged that anything can happen in F1 and advised Red Bull not to become complacent, as Ferrari has shown strength this season.
Marko emphasized that there are still 20 races left in the F1 calendar, leaving room for things to change at any time. He urged his team to remain focused and not underestimate Ferrari, as they still have a lot of work to do in order to secure the 2024 Drivers and Constructors World Championship.