Red Bull have now reached 2025 agreement for ‘mega talented’ driver as Christian Horner takes risk

Red Bull unofficially have two seats to fill before the 2025 season, one alongside Max Verstappen and the other at junior team RB. The other eight outfits have all confirmed their lineups.

Sergio Perez signed a new contract in June, seemingly ending the uncertainty over his future. He believed it guaranteed him a 2025 seat, with an option for 2026 too.

The employment court deems Perez’s deal watertight, according to one journalist. That indicates that Red Bull can’t activate a performance clause to break the agreement.

Instead, they’ll either have to pay their driver off, or convince him to retire. Perez is a whopping 251 points behind newly-crowned champion Verstappen ahead of the last two races, a clear sign that he’s cost his team the constructors’ title.

Elsewhere, Yuki Tsunoda appears locked into RB. The Japanese driver has enjoyed his strongest season yet, but Helmut Marko criticised Tsunoda this week, which suggests he’s still not a serious candidate for a promotion.

Liam Lawson, who replaced Daniel Ricciardo after the United States GP, could keep the seat. But if he makes the step to Red Bull, there will be a vacancy to fill.

Red Bull have now agreed Franco Colapinto deal in principle

According to Adam Cooper, writing for Motorsport Magazine, Red Bull have now reached an agreement in principle with Williams to sign Franco Colapinto for 2025. Because he’s under contract at Grove, they have had to negotiate a fee.

There’s no room for Colapinto in Williams’ 2025 line-up, with Alex Albon and new signing Carlos Sainz locked in. But James Vowles will want a significant fee given the youngster’s evident talent.

It seems the two teams agree on the broad terms of a deal, and now they just need to formalise the transfer. Christian Horner is ‘keen to take the risk’ on a driver who only made his debut at the Italian Grand Prix at the end of the European summer.

It remains to be seen whether he partners Verstappen or Tsunoda. That could hinge on his performances in the last two races, as well as those of Perez and Lawson.

Red Bull reassured after Franco Colapinto made his Williams mechanics cry

Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff visited Williams during the Las Vegas GP weekend. The involvement of a figure who outranks Horner and Marko points to the deal being at an advanced stage.

Giedo van der Garde feared Colapinto had thrown away his seat for 2025 by crashing in Vegas qualifying. The 50G shunt came straight after he crashed twice at the Sao Paulo GP.

Colapinto’s Williams mechanics were crying in the pitlane afterwards, Van der Garde says. They have faced a brutal sequence of repair jobs in recent times.

But Red Bull saw the 21-year-old steadily make his way from the pit lane to 14th in the race. That may have reassured them, though they’ll also be watching his next two outings closely.