Red Bull are considering their options for their 2025 driver line-up. Max Verstappen is likely locked in, but Sergio Perez faces an uncertain future.
Mercedes want Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton, but no matter how hard Toto Wolff tries, it looks extremely unlikely that he’ll make the move. Verstappen is under contract until 2028, after all.
Perez, though, is battling to prove his worth. He came into the year under intense pressure after finishing an unprecedented 290 points behind Verstappen in last year’s championship.
The Mexican won only two Grands Prix in what statistically proved to be the most dominant car in F1 history. And to make matters worse, he failed to win any of the last 18 races.
Perez even faced the threat of losing the runner-up spot in the standings to Hamilton, but saw the Mercedes driver off in the end. He’s second again this year, 25 points behind Verstappen and nine ahead of Charles Leclerc.
The 34-year-old has largely done what’s required so far, finishing second behind Verstappen three times and bagging four podiums. He could only manage fifth in Australia following the Dutchman’s retirement but a wedged visor tear-off affected his car’s performance.
In China last weekend, Perez qualified on the front row alongside Verstappen for the second race in succession. But Lando Norris capitalised on a hectic safety car period to sneak ahead, and Perez wasn’t able to catch him.
Christian Horner has nonetheless been pleased with the former Sauber driver’s improvement over the winter. He even likened it to the step taken by Damon Hill before winning the 1996 title.
Ralf Schumacher urges Red Bull and Mercedes to consider veteran driver
Red Bull’s list of alternatives to Perez appears to be pretty short right now. Helmut Marko has admitted the team will ‘have to’ consider free agent Carlos Sainz, but he may not want to race alongside Verstappen again.
They’re also interested in Norris, but he only signed a long-term extension at McLaren in the winter. Meanwhile, Alex Albon could return, but more likely in 2026.
In the circumstances, Sky Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher has urged them to consider Nico Hulkenberg. Schumacher thinks Hulkenberg’s strong relationship with Verstappen could stand him in good stead as he eyes a shock move to either Mercedes or Red Bull.
He said: “We mustn’t forget that there are two excellent drivers on the market at the moment and also a German-speaking one. For Nico Hülkenberg is not only available at Audi, but also at Mercedes or possibly Red Bull, as he is a very good friend of Max. Carlos Sainz [is also available], and Sebastian Vettel is at the back.”
What Nico Hulkenberg has said about joining Audi
Hulkenberg has enjoyed a quietly solid season over at Haas. He’s finished in the points in three of the first five Grands Prix (10th twice and ninth once for a total of four) and also reached Q3 twice too.
Of the drivers representing the bottom five teams in the standings, only Yuki Tsunoda (seven) has posted a higher tally so far. The 36-year-old has been the faster and more productive driver at Haas, out-qualifying Kevin Magnussen three times and bagging 80% of his team’s points.
One thing he would offer Mercedes and Red Bull is vast experience. He’s now started 208 Grands Prix over a 14-year window, which ranks him inside the all-time top 20.
Of course, Hulkenberg holds the unfortunate record of competing in the most races without scoring a podium finish. But in his defence, he has spent his entire career in midfield machinery.
Given his age and relative lack of star power, he would likely be a stop-gap before a long-term signing. But for a driver who was out of F1 altogether as recently as 2022, a move to Red Bull would still represent a huge turnaround.
The most likely outcome remains a return to Sauber, who will become Audi for 2025. When David Croft asked him about the rumours, he simply smiled and said ‘we’ll wait and see’.
The post ‘On the market’: Ralf Schumacher says Red Bull could now approach 36-year-old F1 driver for 2025 seat appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
