Fernando Alonso has set his stance on replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull in 2025 after team principal Christian Horner made the Aston Martin driver his number one target.
The Milton Keynes squad are potentially in the market for a new driver next year with Perez out of contract. Alonso is also in the final year of his deal in Silverstone, having joined Aston Martin on a two-year contract. Red Bull last extended Perez’s deal at the team in May 2022.
Perez convinced Red Bull to extend his contract through the 2024 Formula 1 campaign after winning the 2022 Monaco GP. But the 34-year-old endured a nightmare season in 2023 and has not had the best start to 2024. So, a chance to sign Alonso is rather tempting for Horner.
Fernando Alonso sets his stance on replacing Sergio Perez at Red Bull
That is according to F1-Insider, which recently reported that Horner has identified Alonso as Red Bull’s top target to replace Perez. Horner has the unconditional backing from the team’s Thai majority owner, Chalerm Yoovidhya, and has even held talks with Alonso about joining.
Red Bull feel Alonso can win the 42-year-old’s third Formula 1 drivers’ championship in their car next year. Talks between Horner and the Aston Martin ace’s camp are also thought to be at an advanced point already. So, Max Verstappen also now expects Alonso to replace Perez.
READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso’s life outside F1 from net worth to Cars 2
Now, GP Blog also reports that Alonso would be only too happy to quit Aston Martin to take over Perez’s seat at Red Bull in 2025. It even that claims Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko is fuelling some of the rumours linking the 2005 and 2006 F1 champion with a move.
Christian Horner covets a chance to sign the Aston Martin driver
Perez has left Horner and Red Bull to target Aston Martin driver Alonso for a 2025 seat after proving that he cannot seal wins when Verstappen cannot. The Mexican finished last week’s Australian GP in fifth behind both Ferrari and McLaren drivers after Verstappen had to retire.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Sergio Perez’s life outside F1 from net worth to nickname
Verstappen suffered an early brake failure but Perez was nowhere to be seen as Carlos Sainz ended the Dutchman’s nine-Grand Prix winning streak. Perez has also not won any format of race since the 2023 Azerbaijan GP, before the wheels fell off his title dream at the Miami GP.
BBC F1 pundit Marc Priestley also slammed Perez for his ‘disappointing’ qualifying result for the Australian GP last week. The Guadalajara native posted a 1:16.274 lap of Albert Park in Q3. But his time was 0.359 seconds off Verstappen’s pole lap as Sainz sealed P2 on the grid.
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