for the last few weeks, it has been speculated that Daniel Ricciardo is next in line to drive the Red Bull car. However, Christian Horner’s most recent statement suggests that Ricciardo is not the only person in line to drive for Red Bull.
Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat in Formula 1 is like the last remaining chair in a game of musical chairs. Ever since Mark Webber left the team in 2013, the seat has been occupied by a number of drivers. This list of drivers includes Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon, and even Daniel Ricciardo. Among these drivers, Ricciardo was the only one who was able to challenge Max Verstappen.
While Sergio Perez looked strong to compete against Max Verstappen at the beginning of the season, his pace fell off since the Monaco Grand Prix. Since then, he has been having poor qualifying performances which gives him a difficult task during the race.
šØ | Christian Horner says Yuki Tsunoda wouldn’t be at AlphaTauri if he wasn’t a contender to join Red Bull.
Horner says Tsunoda can use next year as “a potential springboard” for his career.
Details below:https://t.co/8c1EV0po69
ā formularacers (@formularacers_) October 25, 2023
Sergio Perez’s performances have led fans and the media to look at potential replacements. While Daniel Ricciardo looks like the most probable option, Christian Horner has dropped another name. In a recent statement, Christian Horner said that there are chances for Yuki Tsunoda to be promoted to Red Bull as well.
Yuki Tsunoda has been driving for the Red Bull Academy since his Formula 2 years. Due to his connection with Honda, he was able to secure a seat in AlphaTauri for the 2021 season. While his first couple of years in the sport were average, he seemed to have picked up on his pace. Yuki is currently the points leader on the team.
Both Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will be considered to replace Sergio Perez when the time comes. However, since Honda is choosing to power Aston Martin from the 2026 season, there are chances that Yuki will abandon the team and go to Aston Martin. This will leave Red Bull without a driver. To avoid this scenario, the Austrian Team may lean towards Daniel Ricciardo.
How many drivers are there within the Red Bull family?
Red Bull currently has 2 teams in F1. One is the main Red Bull Racing, the other is the B-team, AlphaTauri. AlphaTauri serves as a feeder team for academy drivers. After completing their stint in Formula 2, The Austrian outfit decides which drivers are capable of racing in F1. These drivers will first be placed in AlphaTauri in order to help them get more experience. This experience will help them get enough experience and skills to race in Red Bull Racing.
Naturally, Red Bull will always have 4 of their drivers racing in F1. Two in Red Bull Racing and the other 2 in AlphaTauri. Currently, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez occupy the seats in the main team while Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda occupy the seats in AlphaTauri. The team currently has 6 of their drivers racing in Formula 2. Ayumu Iwasa, Dennis Hauger, Zaba Maloney, Isack Hadjar, Enzo Fitipaldi, and Jak Crawford. They also have Liam Lawson who drives in Super Formula. There are also 3 drivers in Formula 3 and another one in Formula 4.
The moment Liam Lawson knocked Max Verstappen out of qualifying in Singapore š²
How impressed were you with Lawson during his time at AlphaTauri? š pic.twitter.com/Zu7owB4XO5
ā Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 19, 2023
Liam Lawson is an exciting prospect who has already proven himself in F1. when Daniel Ricciardo was injured in the Dutch Grand Prix Liam Lawson drove in his seat until he recovered. In his short stint, he scored points for his team which neither Nyck de Vries nor Daniel Ricciardo has been able to do till now. If either Yuki Tsunoda or Daniel Ricciardo gets promoted to Red Bull, they will most likely be replaced by Liam Lawson.