Red Bull Racing may already be putting plans into place to part ways with Sergio Perez during the winter break.
Sergio Perez was rewarded with a new contract by Red Bull ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix earlier in the season.
The theory behind that move for team principal Christian Horner was to take the pressure off a driver who was coming under increasing scrutiny with Red Bull’s car no longer possessing the same advantage it did last year.
Perez struggled to capitalise on Red Bull’s deficit to the rest of the grid in 2023 despite finishing second in the Constructors’ Championship.
He went on a run of four podiums in 13 races but that has been eclipsed by his poor form this season.
The 34-year-old hasn’t featured on the rostrum since the Sprint Race in Miami and unfortunately, his lack of results have cost Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
Journalist Joe Saward reported on his blog that Red Bull’s CEO Oliver Mintzlaff is already eyeing up alternatives to Perez in the pit lane.
That involved visiting the Williams team at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with one driver in particular catching their eye.
Red Bull CEO visits Williams during the Las Vegas Grand Prix after Franco Colapinto links
Horner has told Perez what he needs to do in Qatar and Abu Dhabi ahead of a nervous wait over the winter regarding his future.
However, Red Bull CEO Mintzlaff is set to be part of a meeting alluded to after the race in Abu Dhabi among the team’s shareholders where they will discuss their two driver line-ups.
Liam Lawson has done well at RB but doesn’t have a contract for 2025 yet in case he needs to be promoted into Perez’s seat.
Writing on his blog, Saward has said that ‘no one’ at Red Bull is saying that Perez will still be with the team next year.
While that doesn’t confirm that a decision has been made, it highlights just how much of a concern there is surrounding his position on the grid for 2025.
Saward says that a decision is likely to be made between Lawson and Franco Colapinto to replace Perez.
Concerns over Tsunoda at Red Bull remain despite the Japanese driver outperforming both of his rivals for that seat in recent weeks.
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The Argentine’s recent crashes have ‘raised concerns’ about whether he’s ready to drive for Red Bull although Colapinto has held talks with Carlos Slim who is one of Perez’s biggest backers.
Saward goes on to say that Mintzlaff was ‘spotted visiting Williams’ during the Las Vegas weekend.
It was only a fleeting visit to the circuit, only staying for a day to talk to staff at the £981m-valued F1 team, rather than being there for the whole weekend as Max Verstappen clinched his fourth world championship.
Franco Colapinto in danger of being stuck in Formula 1 limbo
Colapinto has shown glimpses of brilliance during his brief F1 career, but he appears to have joined the grid too late this year to have an impact on the driver’s market.
Teams were forced to take action much earlier than they usually would given Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari announcement in February.
It meant that a move to Red Bull or RB was always going to be Colapinto’s best hope of remaining on the grid in 2025.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Williams driver Franco Colapinto with praise to stats
Manufacturers will also want to keep their line-ups as consistent as possible going into 2026 when the regulations change.
Cars could feel very different to drive and the simulator work done behind the scenes will be the best preparation possible for each driver.
Therefore, parachuting someone like Colapinto into the team next winter is unlikely to be the optimal option, although the introduction of Cadillac and two more seats to the grid may work in the 21-year-old’s favour.
