The future of Christian Horner’s Red Bull Racing driver line-up for 2025 and beyond is going to have huge implications up and down the paddock.
Plenty of drivers are out of contract at the end of 2024 and waiting to see how the dominoes fall once the current Constructors champions Red Bull make their decision.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, David Croft has shared who he thinks is the logical choice for next year.
It’s a case of so far, so good for Red Bull in 2024.
Max Verstappen is leading the championship as expected and has won every race he’s finished this season.
He’s been joined on the podium by Sergio Perez on every occasion, although the Mexican couldn’t pick up the slack when Verstappen retired from the Australian Grand Prix.
However, several drivers on the grid are being linked with replacing the 34-year-old for next season.
Regardless, Croft believes that keeping Perez and Verstappen together as teammates for 2025 makes logical sense for the team.
While Perez has previously suggested he’s not worried about an agreement being reached quickly, Red Bull’s lack of action at this stage might be slightly concerning.
Horner and Helmut Marko have joked that Perez has only upped his performances this year because his contract is about to expire.
He needs to prove over a longer period of time that he’s the right man for the job.
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David Croft thinks Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will remain teammates in 2025
There might be an immediate reason why Red Bull haven’t tied Perez down to another contract already.
The next race in the calendar is the Miami Grand Prix and at this stage of the season last year, Perez was in an even stronger position.
He had already won two races and was right on Max Verstappen’s tail trying to put together a title charge.
However, Verstappen dominated him in the race and laid down a marker that Perez simply couldn’t match.
Croft might be right that Verstappen and Perez remaining teammates makes sense, but that might not be enough for Red Bull.
If they’re concerned about an advancing Ferrari, then a stronger second driver might be required.
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Red Bull have a grid-defining decision to make for 2025
Talking about the fate of the two remaining open seats in the top F1 teams for 2025, Croft said: “I think Mercedes will bring in Andrea Kimi Antonelli, that makes logical sense.
“And I think Red Bull will keep hold of Sergio Perez because I think that makes logical sense for them as well.”
The name on everyone’s lips right now in the driver market is Carlos Sainz.
Croft’s prediction that Verstappen and Perez will be teammates in 2025 is only likely to be scuppered by the 29-year-old.
He’s been brilliant this season and it speaks volumes that a 5 place finish in China is arguably his worst performance of 2024.
Losing his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton is harsh but understandable, however, he’s going to want to be in a race-winning car in 2025 while he’s at the peak of his powers.
Perez signing a new contract denies him that opportunity, but the Mexican driver will be doing everything he can to put himself at the forefront of Christian Horner and Helmut Marko’s thinking when it comes to handing out that next contract.
The post ‘Makes logical sense’: David Croft shares who he thinks will be Max Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate in 2025 appeared first on F1 Oversteer.
