BREAKING NEWS: Shock Candidate Emerges to Replace Sergio....

Shock Candidate Emerges to Replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2025 as Max Verstappen Prepares for Major Shake-Up

A new candidate has unexpectedly emerged as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing, despite the Mexican driver signing a two-year contract extension during the summer. Red Bull’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko, recently revealed that Yuki Tsunoda, currently a driver for Red Bull’s junior team, is being considered for a seat alongside Max Verstappen in 2025. This development comes as Red Bull finds itself facing its most significant performance drop in years, with McLaren recently overtaking them in the constructor’s standings for the first time since 2022.

The Austrian team, which dominated Formula 1 last year, has fallen behind in 2024, with Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren all winning races more frequently than Red Bull. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri claimed victory in the Azerbaijani Grand Prix, propelling McLaren to the top of the standings. Max Verstappen, despite his team’s struggles, remains the leader in the drivers’ championship with 331 points. His closest rival, Lando Norris, trails with 279 points, creating an intense battle for the title.

One of Red Bull’s major setbacks this season has been the significant gap between the performances of Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez. While Perez had strong seasons during his first few years with the team, his performance has dipped in recent months, which has hindered Red Bull’s ability to challenge for the top spot in the constructor’s championship. Perez currently sits in eighth place in the drivers’ standings, behind competitors from the other leading teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren—putting him under pressure to retain his seat.

In July, Red Bull surprised many by extending Perez’s contract for another two years, despite his underwhelming results compared to Verstappen. However, Marko recently suggested that Perez’s future with the team is still uncertain, stating that the next few races would be crucial in determining Red Bull’s driver lineup for 2025.

One name that has gained attention as a possible replacement for Perez is Yuki Tsunoda, a Red Bull junior driver who has shown steady improvement over the last two seasons. Tsunoda joined the team’s feeder program in 2021 and has been driving for AlphaTauri since then. Although he initially struggled with consistency and was known for his fiery temperament, the 24-year-old has become a more reliable driver, raising his profile as a potential candidate for a Red Bull promotion.

Marko confirmed Tsunoda’s candidacy in an interview with F1-Insider.com, saying, “Tsunoda is a candidate to drive alongside Max in 2025. The remaining races of this season will decide what our driver pairings will look like for next year.” This revelation signals that Perez’s position is far from secure, despite his contract extension.

In addition to Tsunoda, another driver under consideration for the Red Bull seat is Liam Lawson. The young New Zealander made his debut with AlphaTauri after Daniel Ricciardo was injured in the Singapore Grand Prix, and his strong performances have earned him a place in the conversation. However, Tsunoda believes he has the edge over Lawson, telling reporters, “If they choose Liam, that would be weird… But for me at least, I don’t think [it will happen]. For sure Liam did a really good job when he drove in the team, but I think I did more than that.”

As the 2024 season winds down, Red Bull faces a pivotal moment in determining its driver lineup for the future. Whether Perez can hold on to his seat or Tsunoda or Lawson step up remains to be seen, but the pressure is on as Red Bull looks to regain its former dominance in Formula 1.