Formula 1 teams have to consider dozens of factors when deciding their driver line-ups each season.
As Ferrari can attest to during the Michael Schumacher era, it was not always desirable to have the two fastest drivers on the grid if you wanted to enjoy success.
Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are two of the best drivers of the modern era, but their time together at McLaren won’t be looked back at too fondly by the team due to the contention between the pair.
However, even when you’ve got an obvious number one and number two, the second driver needs to perform to a certain level to remain useful.
Speaking on the Inside The Piranha Club Podcast, journalist Ben Hunt has suggested that may not be happening at Red Bull.
Sergio Perez finished second in the Drivers’ Championship last year in a car that was light-years clear of the rest of the field.
However, a difficult weekend in Imola has created some doubt about his future at Red Bull and he could lose his seat for the 2025 season.
Not only that, Hunt suggested two drivers whom Red Bull are monitoring that might not be the most obvious options.
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Sergio Perez could lose his Red Bull seat in 2025
When the chequered flag flew at the end of Q2 in Imola, there was a familiar sight for the Red Bull garage that harked back to last season.
They saw the PER graphic next to the red number 11 and the Mexican missed out on the final session of qualifying for the first time in 2024.
It was an aspect of Perez’s skillset that Christian Horner admitted needed to improve this year.
Perez might have been the best of the rest behind Max Verstappen last year, but the field has closed up to Red Bull this season and suddenly the pressure is increasing on the six-time race winner.
McLaren and Ferrari are now genuine contenders to Red Bull and if Horner and Helmut Marko are worried about the Constructors’ Championship in 2025, then it’s easy to see how Perez could lose his seat.
Verstappen will want to remain Red Bull’s clear number one and if they do part ways with the 34-year-old, it’ll be interesting to see if he has any influence on his replacement.
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Australian duo suggested as potential replacements for Sergio Perez at Red Bull
Speaking about Sergio Perez’s most recent performance, Hunt said: “For me, [Sergio] Perez was so disappointing at Imola. There were mistakes and he was just not quick enough.
“I don’t know what it is, I can’t put my finger on it, I don’t think the team can do anymore to help him.
“They’ve publicly backed him for seasons now and he’s just not delivering and in fact, he seems to be going backwards.
“So, a very real problem now for him and I can see him being replaced.
“Oscar Piastri is obviously one name mentioned, but Daniel Ricciardo, believe it or not, is still in the mix as well.
“I just think he’s under pressure to turn things around and he doesn’t seem to be able to do so at this moment in time.”
Horner has already told Perez what he wants to see from him in Monaco but if he goes through a similarly difficult period this season as he did during the middle of last year, then it’s entirely feasible that he could lose his seat in 2025.
Daniel Ricciardo’s dream is to return to Red Bull and he wouldn’t turn down that opportunity even if he’s been second-best to Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull.
Marko has previously talked about wanting to sign Piastri, but it’s hard to see him leaving McLaren or Zak Brown green-lighting a move.
However, the balance of the grid would change considerably if Red Bull signed arguably the best young driver on the grid right now.
The post ‘Real problem’: ‘Disappointing’ 6-win driver could lose his seat in 2025, he’s ‘going backwards’ – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.