Hi Checo
On the sidelines of official press release released by Red Bullwhich sanctioned the conclusion – one year ahead of the contract renewed this year – of the relationship between Sergio Perez and the Milton Keynes team, the team principal Christian Horner gave an interview to Sky Sports F1. The manager explained the reasons that led the team and Checo to part ways, also addressing the issue of who will be the Mexican’s replacement alongside Verstappen, given that an official announcement in this regard has not yet arrived.
“Checo has been reflecting after this season and last week we sat down and discussed what the next steps will be and he decided to take some time – said the number one on the Red Bull wall – It’s sad to see him leave the team, but obviously it’s time for him to be with his young family and reflect on what he wants to do for the future. The renewal? At the time of signing he had achieved four podiums in five races. An extension was logical to eliminate the speculation, which was already too much, around the team. Each contract includes certain clauses and performance criteria. But this made no difference in Sergio’s decision to walk away and take a gap year“.
An armchair for two
The future of the second Red Bull single-seater will be entrusted to Liam Lawson o Yuki Tsunodawho are the two candidates coming from the nursery waiting for a call from the ‘parent company’: “We have all the information we need, the choice will be between Yuki and Liam – Horner declared – both have excellent credentials. We tested Yuki recently at the Abu Dhabi test to give him a chance to work with the engineering team. Liam has also done a lot of testing with us behind the scenes this year and has driven very well in the six or seven races he has done. We are examining and evaluating all this, also talking to the engineering team. We will come to a conclusion in the next few days“.
At this point, the objective for Horner is clear: to create a driver duo that is as competitive as possible to face the challenges of 2025. “The most important thing for us next year, in what will probably be the most competitive Formula 1 season for many years, is to make sure we have two drivers who are as close in performance as possible. Next year we will have to challenge a team like Hamilton-Leclerc and we have already seen what Norris-Piastri are capable of. And of course there’s George Russell with another newcomer, Antonelli. So, next year will be very competitive. Do you regret Sainz? Carlos is a great driver and we saw it. Sometimes it is necessary to consider all criteria and dynamics. When we extended Checo’s contract it must be remembered that he was second in the championship and that he had reached the podium in four out of five races“.
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