Last week was a crucial juncture for the Red Bull team as they took some essential calls about the lineup. While Christian Horner was able to retain Sergio Perez, it didn’t get a positive response from the fans. The F1 expert believes Checo has been consistently underperforming, putting Red Bull at risk of losing the world title.
While the Milton Keynes-based outfit is focused on addressing its current issues, emerging future challenges are already coming into view. RB management will soon have to call on its young drivers, who have been performing exceptionally well recently.
Red Bull’s Next Call-Up: Liam Lawson And Isack Hadjar In The Running
The Milton Leynes-based squad would soon be dealing with a new set of problems. While much attention is focused on the speculation surrounding Red Bull’s second seat, there’s actually a lot more buzz about the driver lineup as a whole. The first name that the RB management would consider is Liam Lawson. The New Zealander has been on the reserves for a while and is Helmut Marko’s favorite for the VCARB seat. Therefore, the senior RBR advisor clarified the Trans-Tasmanian and confirmed his future would be decided in September. Thus, it would be clear next month whether he gets a seat in Red Bull’s sister team or is left out as a free agent.
However, if Red Bull were genuinely interested in putting Lawson in the driver’s seat, it would likely have happened by now. The delay in finalizing this decision suggests that a new contender may emerge as the ideal VCARB seat candidate. The nineteen-year-old racer, who is getting lauded by Horner and Marko, could be the next big thing for Red Bull. Isack Hajdar is on the verge of winning the F2 title and could soon be announced as the new RB reserve driver. However, the team needs to find a fixed spot for him. Otherwise, the French-Algerian driver would be following in the footsteps of Lawson, being sidelined throughout the season. Meanwhile, the Red Bull management is playing the waiting game, as they want to see whether Hadjar wins the F2 or not. If he wins, the young racer could be given an F1 promotion. If he fails to win the title, the rookie racer will have to continue with his F2 stint.
Helmut Marko Explains Red Bull’s Perez Dilemma
Helmut Marko discussed Sergio Perez’s performance at the Belgian Grand Prix. Despite starting in second place, he ultimately finished seventh following George Russell’s disqualification. Marko explained that although calculations suggested a potential third-place finish, Perez struggled with rapid tire degradation, which hindered his ability to push for a higher position. The team had only one set of hard tires remaining, which may have been a decisive factor in the race outcome.
Marko further addressed concerns about Perez’s performance, emphasizing that while the driver needs to improve his consistency, he remains the team’s best option compared to potential alternatives. He refuted reports that Liberty Media, the owners of Formula 1, influenced Perez’s choice. Marko clarified that while Liberty Media would prefer Perez to participate in his home race in Mexico, the team’s decision is not based on external pressures but rather on their assessment of the driver’s capabilities.