Sergio Perez’s performance has been under scrutiny for a long time now. The Mexican racer has been underfiring since the start of the 2024 season. Even last year, the 34-year-old racer somehow managed to finish at P2, helping Red Bull secure the Constructor’s Championship. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen has been heads and shoulders above his teammate. In this season, Red Bull has led a combined 504 laps; Max Verstappen led 503 of them, while Perez, however, led only 1.
This raises serious concerns over Checo’s slump as calls for his replacement grow louder. While Red Bull Academy has several young drivers waiting for an opportunity, a new name has emerged as a potential replacement. The Audi F1 outgoing driver, Valtteri Bottas, could be the perfect ‘stop-gap’ year pick for the Bulls. During the recent Mexican Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas hinted that he would consider returning to Mercedes in a supportive role alongside George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 F1 season. Speaking to media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, Bottas expressed openness to the idea, suggesting he might be interested in stepping into a backup position if an opportunity arose.
Can Valtteri Bottas Replace Sergio Perez?
During an appearance on The Fast and Curious podcast, F1 broadcaster Jennie Gow suggested that Valtteri Bottas could be the perfect solution to Red Bull’s current driver dilemma, particularly if the team decides against pursuing Carlos Sainz, who has already committed to Williams. Gow explained that Bottas could serve as an ideal “stop-gap” driver who would fill the second seat without creating too much disruption. She highlighted his speed, ability to play the team game, and his suitability for a role where he would carry out his duties without overshadowing younger talent within the team.
Gow noted that the tension between the fathers of Verstappen and Sainz—Jos Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Sr.—makes it unlikely that Sainz would join Red Bull. Therefore, in her view, Bottas could be a strong candidate to step into that seat. While Gow described her suggestion as a “genius” idea, she acknowledged that the move is unlikely to happen. She expressed doubt when asked if Bottas could replace Perez at Red Bull, admitting that while the idea occurred to her, she wasn’t sure if the team had seriously considered it.
Franco Colapinto: Leading The Race For Red Bull’s Second Seat
Sky Italia recently reported that Red Bull is making significant efforts to secure Franco Colapinto’s services, with the team reportedly offering Williams $20 million to bring the promising Argentine driver on board. Dutch broadcaster Jack Plooji has further fueled this speculation, noting that Helmut Marko’s growing dissatisfaction with Sergio Perez’s underperformance could create an opportunity for Colapinto to join the team.