Red Bull Racing confirmed exactly four years after signing Sergio Perez that his services would no longer be required beyond the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Sergio Perez finally announced on Wednesday evening that he wouldn’t be a Red Bull driver in 2025.
The 34-year-old’s eighth-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship ultimately cost Red Bull the Constructors’ title.
He finished more than 250 points behind teammate Max Verstappen and failed to finish in the top five of a race since the Miami Grand Prix.
In one of the craziest driver markets in recent Formula 1 history, Red Bull appear to have snookered themselves.
There are several free agents available who when the grid shook out ended up without a seat, but Red Bull don’t appear interested in any of them.
Valtteri Bottas lamented upsetting Red Bull earlier in his career after losing his Sauber seat, meaning the team are likely to promote from within.
Liam Lawson is expected to be promoted by Red Bull and speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, journalist Edd Straw explained the latest information he heard on the Kiwi’s future.
Liam Lawson already knows he’s replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull
Talking about the second seat at Red Bull, Straw said: “Let’s talk quickly about the replacement, which does come with great warning.
“Why haven’t they announced the replacement? Because as far as we know, it is Liam Lawson.
“I’m saying as far as we know, because Red Bull can be a weird and capricious place and decisions get made and unmade all the time.
READ MORE: Who is Visa Cash App RB driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
“But as far as we know, Lawson’s been told he’s been given the go-ahead. They’ve decided on him.
“So would the logical thing not have been to announce goodbye Perez and then a bit later announce Lawson?
“You never know what might happen. I’m confident. I’m going to say it. From the information we’ve got, it’s going to be Lawson.”
Where Liam Lawson’s Red Bull promotion leaves RB
RB are always at the mercy of Red Bull and in their various guises during their Formula 1 history, they’ve had to deal with losing drivers at short notice to the senior team.
In this scenario, RB aren’t technically losing a driver, with Lawson not technically signed up to the team for 2025.
However, he’s done admirably during his six-race cameo this year without beating Yuki Tsunoda in a head-to-head battle.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links
The first thing RB will have to do is placate Tsunoda who will no doubt be very upset to have been overlooked once again.
Tsunoda impressed during his Red Bull test, but it wasn’t enough to convince shareholders that he should be promoted ahead of his less experienced teammate.
RB are set to promote Isack Hadjar to join Tsunoda next year which could end up being the feistiest pairing on the grid in 2025.
Hadjar’s radio messages are notoriously assertive and if Tsunoda has been working on staying calm this season, RB may have their work cut out keeping the young Frenchman cool.
Leave feedback about this