Red Bull’s driver line-up for the 2025 season is uncertain as Sergio Perez has consistently underperformed this season.
The Mexican started well in the opening few rounds as Red Bull enjoyed a significant advantage over the rest of the field, finishing on the podium in four of the opening five rounds.
Perez dropped off when Formula 1 headed back to Europe and he hasn’t scored a podium finish since the Chinese Grand Prix in April.
Red Bull are on the verge of finishing third in the Constructors’ Championship, as McLaren and Ferrari have been consistently quicker over the season.
Perez has also struggled in qualifying and the Red Bull driver has been knocked out in the first part of qualifying on six occasions which has made the races more difficult.
Red Bull may sign either Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson, who are impressing at RB, although former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya explained why signing one of those may not work.
It may not make sense for Red Bull as both drivers will need a year of learning if they are signed
Max Verstappen has been much quicker and a lot more consistent than Perez during their time as teammates, and Perez has cost the team a lot of points.
The Mexican driver is a sizeable part of Red Bull’s struggles in the Constructors’ Championship, with no victories this season and struggles in the midfield.
Lawson or Tsunoda are very quick, but Red Bull is a step up, and competing alongside Verstappen has proven to be very difficult. Both Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly returned to the midfield after failing to keep up with the Dutchman.
If a more established driver such as Lewis Hamilton were available then it would present a better prospect than one of Red Bull’s younger drivers.
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Montoya explained on the AS Colombia YouTube channel that Perez wants to retire on his own terms and a more experienced driver at the front of the field would help Red Bull further.
He said: “I think what the team is looking for is to put pressure on Checo to say ‘I’m retiring.’ He said it for a while now ‘I’m going to retire on my terms, they aren’t going to retire me.’
“I think he knows he has one more year left, and I really insist on it; Red Bull signed a new contract with him this year.
“It would cost Red Bull a lot of money to get out of it, and on the other hand, who is the one that says that ‘it isn’t Lewis Hamilton is free and is going to Red Bull’ or not ‘Lando Norris is going to Red Bull or a (Oscar) Piastri is going to Red Bull’ then it does make sense. But they are talking about it being Yuki, they are talking about Lawson, they can train them in a year.”
Yuki Tsunoda may be a better option for Red Bull than Liam Lawson
Tsunoda has been a much-improved driver this season, and he has calmed down behind the wheel over his career.
The Japanese driver has got the better of both Daniel Ricciardo and Nyck de Vries during their time as teammates as he got more consistent and finished in and around the points.
He has a lot more experience than the New Zealander, who has yet to complete a full season in Formula 1, and Lawson has been frantic at times.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner may have had reservations about Tsunoda but he will have an opportunity in the championship-winning car to impress at the Abu Dhabi post-season test.
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