During the last six races of the 2024 season, the Red Bull team’s starting drivers will be Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. No change unlike the Racing Bulls team, where Yuki Tsunoda will now be accompanied by Liam Lawson, recently arrived to replace Daniel Ricciardo. During these last six meetings, Christian Horner will closely follow the performances of the young New Zealander who could potentially take the place of Sergio Pérez next season.
Liam Lawson, 22, will start with the United States Grand Prix on October 20. Horner explained to the podcast F1 Nation why the team chose Lawson, indicating that Pérez was now on his last chance with the team: “All drivers are under pressure, but the reason Daniel was in this car was to put himself in a position to finally be there to pick up the pieces if Checo [Pérez] wasn’t doing his job.”he declared. “We need answers for the general situation in terms of drivers. This is the perfect opportunity to line up Liam alongside Yuki, to see how he performs in the remaining six Grands Prix.”said the team director.
Drivers from the Red Bull academy… but not only
Max Verstappen is doing the job as best he can with a less efficient car than at the start of the season, for the moment he remains in the lead in the drivers’ championship with 52 points ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren). On the other hand, it is the orange and black team which leads the constructor’s championship with a lead of 41 lengths, a delay for Red Bull due in particular to poor performances from Sergio Pérez at the start of the season, when the car largely dominated the others. His repeated mistakes cost the team points, and could cost the Mexican driver his place. Although extended, there would be a clause in the driver’s contract stipulating that in the event of a delay of 100 points compared to his teammate, he would lose his seat.
If sporting director Helmut Marko had clearly expressed his dissatisfaction with the performances of Sergio Pérez and Daniel Ricciardo, the arrival of Liam Lawson to test another driver also suggests that Yuki Tsunoda, who was not promoted, is not not a credible candidate for the “Checo” seat.
In place of the Japanese, Red Bull prefers to turn to its young hopes. Christian Horner also mentioned the juniors Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad, playing in F2 and F3 respectively. The boss also keeps an eye on young people who are not part of the Red Bull Academy, with Oliver Bearman from the Ferrari and Haas sector, and Franco Colapinto (Williams).
“We obviously have a contract with Sergio for next year”Horner said. “But you always have to keep an eye on what comes next. Will it be Liam? Or should we look outside the pool? Or will one of the other juniors stand out over time, whether it’s Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad? »
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Many options available to the reigning world champion team, which will still have six races to perhaps make the decision to make changes.
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