Red Bull has been the gold standard of racing for the last two years. Last Year Red Bull won 21 of 22 races. Red Bull’s lead driver Max Verstappen has won 49 races since 2021, dethroning Lewis Hamilton in the final race on the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen’s worst finish (that is not a DNF) since 2021 is 7th. Sergio Perez the second Red Bull driver has five wins and 14 second-place finishes. However, the question is, is there a better option for Red Bull in that second seat?
Red Bull Extends Sergio Perez
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Red Bull has announced that they have come to an agreement with Sergio (Checo) Perez on a 2-year deal that will keep him in the Red Bull seat through 2026. Sergio Perez told the media via a statement:
I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this team’s great history for two more years, Being part of the team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it.
The Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner told the media:
Continuity and stability are important for the team, Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first-ever one-two finish for the team in the championship last year.
Many people speculated on the security of Checo’s seat. Sergio Perez has seen success but nowhere near the level of Verstappen. Verstappen finished 2023 with 575 points while Checo albeit second in the standings, had 285 points. In 2022 Verstappen finished with 454 points while Checo finished with 305 points and third in the standings.
With Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari pushing out Carlos Sainz many speculated Sainz will take the Red Bull seat due to his consistency in a lesser car Sergio Perez finished 2023 with 2 DNFs and one podium in the final seven races. Sainz finished on the podium and won in Singapore the only non-Red Bull driver to win in 2023.
The Better Option?
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Many would argue that VCRB driver Yuki Tsunoda has earned the opportunity at the Red Bull seat. After struggling the first two years of his Formula One career the Japanese driver has taken picked up the pace and finished 2023 with 17 points and already has 19 points in his 2024 campaign finishing in the points in five of the first eight races. Tsunoda a much younger driver and has shown improvement and consistency, a solid case can be made he’s earned a chance at the Red Bull seat.
The contract extension almost guarantees Tsunoda will be in the market for a new ride. Many have tied Tsunoda to potentially go to Aston Martin as they move to the Honda engines in 2026. Many have speculated that Tsunoda will go to HAAS F1 even though rumors of HAAS closing down after the Cup team in NASCAR is shutting down. According to the rumor mill HAAS is the front runner for the services for Tsunoda.
Tsunoda has shown he is a talented young driver consistently beating his teammate former Red Bull driver and eight time grand prix winner Daniel Ricciardo. Yuki earned the opportunity but for whatever the reason Red Bull never pulled the trigger. Red Bull has put all of their eggs in the basket of Liam Lawson the reserve driver for Red Bull and VCRB.
Red Bull’s plan Beyond 2026
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Perez’s contract extension sets up Red Bull to put Liam Lawson in Checo’s seat for the beginning of 2027, Lawson will take the soon to be vacant VCRB seat. This will give Lawson two seasons to get F1 experience and prepare him for the Red Bull seat. The issue is what is plan b? what if Lawson doesn’t do as well as expected?
This leaves Red Bull in a tight bind but options are still on the table. By 2027 former Red Bull Drivers Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon could be options. The Red Bull Academy has young drivers as well they could turn to, like Dennis Hauger, Jak Crawford or Ayumu Iwasa. The Red Bull Academy has a strong pedigree bringing up Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, and Sebastian Vettel. Red Bull will have to rely on that academy should Lawson falter.
Was Resigning Perez the Right Move?
In short, No. Extending Sergio Perez only stunts and log jams the flow of drivers coming up through Red Bull. Tsunoda earned the seat and it should be given a chance at one of the top seats in Formula One. It’s the same reason having Daniel Ricciardo in the VCRB seat makes little sense other then for merchandise. Riccardo and Perez’s time has come and gone and Red Bull has to look forward.
The Academy has drivers that are ready for the chance to be in Red Bulls sister team. Not to mention the rumors swirling about Verstappen going to Mercedes. You have to be ready for that potential reality. Red Bull has a unique system where they have a second F1 team for the sole purpose to groom drivers and yet hasn’t been used properly since 2016 moving Verstappen from (at the time) Toro Rosso to Red Bull.
About The Author
Dillon Hildreth is a writer for Total Apex and a lifelong fan of Football with his favorite teams being the New England Patriots and the Georgia Bulldogs. Dillon is also a fan of Motorsports Red Bull in Formula One and William Byron in NASCAR. You can catch Dillon Stream F1, NASCAR, and other video games and side casts on Twitch.
