Sergio Perez has endured a bit of a torrid year by his standards and is now podium-less in a front-running car over the last 18 races.
There’s an air of inevitability surrounding his possible replacement for 2025, with multiple drivers waiting in the wings to steal his opportunity.
The contract he holds means very little when he has scored the same number of points as Haas’ outgoing Kevin Magnussen over the last seven races – despite the Dane competing one less time due to a race ban.
That’s in a car which has won the last two races in the hands of four-time champion Max Verstappen, and the Mexican’s performances have single-handedly ruined any shot they had at the constructors’ title.
Red Bull have rejected three race-winners for 2025 seat
When it comes to finding someone to take a seat at one of the best teams in Formula 1, there is no shortage of options.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit have snubbed some incredibly experienced options, all of which would be improvements on Perez based on current form.
For starters, although Nico Hulkenberg has never achieved a podium, there’s a reason he is still in the sport at the grand old age of 37 – he still has plenty to give at the highest level.
READ MORE: Jenson Button tells Liam Lawson the change he must make to earn Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat
Then there’s the originally out-of-contract trio of Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, and previous employee Carlos Sainz.
All of these bring experience and different positives to the team but would see them have to turn away talent from within their own stable of young drivers.
It’s why they haven’t made a decision yet on Perez’s future, as they look to assess which of some of their young drivers in Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda or Isack Hadjar may be worthy of a seat.
Who would be the best option of the rejected race-winners?
Only one of the previously available race-winners is a world champion, with Alonso bringing a certain attitude to the team that may challenge and destabilise Verstappen – not exactly what they need.
Sainz has butted heads with the Dutchman too in their time as teammates at Toro Rosso, so it’s unlikely they would get on too much better in the heat of battle.
READ MORE: Red Bull now ‘in talks’ with signing 67-race star as test driver to fund Arvid Lindblad development
That leaves Bottas – a man who knows how to compete at the top alongside a fearless multiple-champion and still bring constructors’ championships home.
Funnily enough, he’s the only one still available, but the aforementioned youth policy slightly gets in the way of any move for him.
Maybe having him in a test role to keep whoever they opt to go with on their toes would be a good choice, and also offer them a reliable replacement if it’s required.
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