Red Bull appeared to snub some strong external candidates for their second seat last year. Sergio Perez was struggling, but it always seemed like a battle between Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson and, fleetingly, Daniel Ricciardo.
Christian Horner’s outfit have always preferred to promote from within – giving young, homegrown drivers a chance is at the core of the philosophy. Ironically, signing Perez was one of the rare moments where they broke with custom.
More than half the F1 grid were out of contract last year. The outstanding option was Carlos Sainz, a multiple race-winner who became available after Ferrari’s move for Lewis Hamilton.
| DRIVER | TEAM | OUTCOME |
| Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Signed new contract |
| Pierre Gasly | Alpine | Signed new contract |
| Esteban Ocon | Alpine | Joined Haas |
| Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | Joined Williams |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Haas | Joined Sauber |
| Valtteri Bottas | Sauber | Lost seat |
Red Bull were reluctant to sign Sainz because there was tension between his father and Jos Verstappen during their time at Toro Rosso in 2015. He ended up joining Williams instead.
Elsewhere, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was on the market (albeit briefly), as were Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg. Red Bull will never re-sign Gasly, despite his impressive form in recent years, because of his struggles alongside Verstappen in 2019.
Red Bull tried to re-sign Alex Albon as Sergio Perez’s replacement before Liam Lawson move
By December, it was clear that Perez was going to lose his seat at Red Bull despite signing an extension in June. His position had become untenable as he entered a spiral on track.
The driver market had all but closed at that point, leaving Horner and Helmut Marko choosing between Lawson and Tsunoda. They went with the former, but it proved a disastrous decision as he lasted just two races.
However, Lawrence Barretto, a journalist for the sport’s official website, has now revealed that Lawson wasn’t Red Bull’s first choice. ‘Sources’ say they tried to re-sign Alex Albon from Williams as their Perez replacement.
That deal didn’t come off, potentially because Albon’s contract contains a significant buy-out clause. The winless Thai driver is a product of the Red Bull academy, having broken into F1 in 2019 at Toro Rosso.
He was rapidly promoted to the senior team at the expense of Gasly midway through the year, but in a tale that’s become familiar, the chasmic gap to Verstappen cost him his seat. After a year off the grid in 2021, he’s rebuilt his reputation at Williams.
What Williams staff are privately saying about Alex Albon after Carlos Sainz joined
Red Bull’s stance on Albon offers Lawson some hope. Indeed, Barretto reports that they’re willing to give the New Zealander a second chance if he delivers at Racing Bulls.
Horner will be ruing his failure to sign Albon, though, after seeing his performances at the start of 2025. The 29-year-old is an eye-catching P6 in the championship after two races.
Fifth in Australia and seventh in China, Albon has made Sainz sound like Daniel Ricciardo, with the Spaniard at a loss to explain the pace differential. There had been fears that 2025 could be a reality check for a driver who dominated the poorly-rated Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant.
Williams insiders have seen a fresh ‘steeliness’ in Albon this year. That characteristic could serve him well in the savage Red Bull environment, but it’s unclear if he’d want to return after his last experience.
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