Despite a renewal that (contractually speaking) keeps him safe until the end of 2026, Sergio Perez seems increasingly distant from Red Bull’s orbit. The Mexican continues to fail in delivering the results the Anglo-Austrian team leadership expects, making his confirmation today quite difficult to imagine.
It is precisely based on this premise that the team, led by Christian Horner, decided to drop Daniel Ricciardo in order to (re)put Liam Lawson behind the wheel of the VCARB. The return to the grid of the New Zealander will indeed serve as a real test that will continue for the remaining six races of the season: from the outcome of the comparison between the 2002-born driver and Yuki Tsunoda, the name of the driver who will partner Max Verstappen in the official team next season will likely emerge.
Helmut Marko’s confirmation
This theory was directly confirmed by Red Bull’s long-time advisor, who, during an interview with F1-Insider, provided an update on the current situation: “The remaining races will decide how our driver lineups will be structured for next year. We have decided to compare Lawson and Tsunoda; they will both have the same conditions, and each will have six races to prove they are the best.”
A scenario that, by necessity, leaves Sergio Perez out: “I can very well imagine that a junior driver will partner Max. Historically, we have always given our young drivers a chance in Formula 1; Vettel, Verstappen, and Ricciardo are just a few examples. Now,” Marko concludes, “other teams are also following this philosophy… Mercedes with Antonelli, Haas with Bearman, and Williams with Colapinto.”
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