There are so many factors a team principal has to consider when deciding who to hire if a change in their driver line-up is needed.
Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner could be in that position at Red Bull when the 2024 season comes to an end.
A report from ESPN has been speaking about the potential decision facing Horner this year.
While Max Verstappen is being linked with a move away from Red Bull, it’s hard to see him leaving a championship-winning car before the regulations change in 2026.
His teammate Sergio Perez is racing for his Formula 1 future with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
Back-to-back 2-place finishes were followed up by a disappointing 5 in Australia where he couldn’t capitalise on Verstappen’s retirement.
It means plenty of drivers have been linked with a potential move to the Austrian outfit.
However, there’s a concern for Christian Horner that in-form Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda wouldn’t do well alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.
The 23-year-old is definitely quick and putting himself in the frame for a better seat going forward.
But joining the current constructors’ champions is a very different challenge to fighting in the midfield.
Christian Horner concerned about Yuki Tsunoda being Max Verstappen’s teammate
During his time in Formula 1, Max Verstappen has come up against some strong teammates and seen them all off with ease.
He was selected ahead of Carlos Sainz for a promotion to the Red Bull team back in 2016.
The Dutchman then fought with Daniel Ricciardo for several years before he decided he had to move on and his career has suffered ever since.
Both Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon earned promotion from AlphaTauri after the Australian’s exit but both failed to win a race alongside Verstappen before the team finally looked outside of their current options for the perfect partner.
They settled on Sergio Perez after a phenomenal campaign with Racing Point and he’s now in his fourth season with the team.
Questions are now being asked about whether the Mexican is doing enough to justify earning a new contract, although there is talk that he’s already been offered a one-year extension.
If he does leave, then Yuki Tsunoda has shown himself to be the best candidate within the Red Bull group to replace him, but Horner is unconvinced that he would do well alongside Verstappen.
He’s previously admitted that it’s his dream to race for Red Bull, but he still looks some way off achieving that and doesn’t appear to be under consideration for a seat in the sister team.
Yuki Tsunoda still has something to prove in Formula 1
ESPN have reported that sources within Red Bull believe that Horner has never been convinced about Tsunoda’s suitability for the ‘pressure-cooker’ environment within the team.
That includes racing against Max Verstappen who sets phenomenal standards on a weekly basis.
Tsunoda has been left frustrated by the way he’s portrayed in the media and doesn’t think he gets enough credit for his performances.
He’s earned praise from Helmut Marko this season which takes some doing considering his extremely high standards.
However, he’s not a driver who ever hides his frustrations as he showed during the opening Grand Prix in Bahrain.
Facing up against Verstappen is a huge factor for Horner to consider and Tsunoda still has time this season to show that he could be the best option to help the team going forward.
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