Red Bull Racing, based in Milton Keynes, has a spot to fill for the 2025 Formula 1 season because Sergio Perez’s contract ends this year.
Perez has shown good potential this season, coming second in the Japanese Grand Prix and currently ranking second in the drivers’ standings. But Red Bull wants to see if Perez can keep performing well for a longer time. Last season, Perez started strong but struggled later in the year.
Red Bull has many options if they decide not to continue with Perez. One option is promoting Yuki Tsunoda from their junior team, Red Bull Racing. Tsunoda has had a good start to the season, even finishing in the top ten in his home race at Suzuka.
However, Red Bull is also considering more experienced drivers. Alex Albon is on their list, but he’s not available for 2025 because he’s already under contract with Williams. Red Bull has asked for the option to sign him for 2026.
Another serious candidate is Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who has been performing well and winning races. But Sainz has options with other teams, too. Some people at Aston Martin want him to join their team for 2025. And Audi, a new manufacturer in F1, is also interested in Sainz for their team in 2026.
Audi wants to finalize their drivers soon, which means drivers like Sainz might have to make decisions sooner than later. However, Red Bull says they are not influenced by what other teams want. They want to take their time to make sure they have the best drivers for 2025.
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said they won’t rush into making a decision, even though the driver market is heating up early this year.
Sergio Perez is calm about the situation and believes the driver market will start moving soon. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Perez’s performance will determine if he keeps his seat for next year. They are not in a hurry to make a decision and will wait for a few more races before thinking about next year’s lineup.