Red Bull urged to take immediate Sergio Perez action with ‘high risk’ replacement

The last Red Bull driver to lose their seat mid-season was PIerre Gasly.

Nico Rosberg said it would be “super high risk” to put Liam Lawson in the Red Bull car but suggested they may soon have to consider that alternative.

Sergio Perez’s future will be discussed after the Belgian Grand Prix as Formula 1 shuts down for the summer break but unless he can produce a better performance, there is no guarantee Perez will return in September.

Nico Rosberg suggests ‘super high risk’ Sergio Perez replacement

Perez has been trying to hold onto his Red Bull future and even a new contract has failed to give him the push of confidence he was looking for. PlanetF1.com understands retaining Perez is still the priority but even Christian Horner has appeared frustrated at the Mexican’s performances lately, prompting Rosberg to suggest a change may be needed.

“For Red Bull, in the Constructors’ Championship, they’re getting really nervous,” Rosberg said on Sky F1. “Because at the moment, it looks like that’s going to go McLaren’s way because they [Red Bull] only have one driver who can score points.

“So this is the first fundamental thing and that’s only going to make it more difficult. The decision with Perez, they almost need to take a chance now and see if another driver would do a little bit better because it’s worth taking a risk.

“Otherwise, it’s almost sure that they’ll lose the championship to McLaren. The Drivers’ Championship, for now, it’s still a little bit more comfortable but that can become very nervous as well.”

Rosberg was joined by former W Series driver Naomi Schiff who said all the top teams but Red Bull have strong driver pairings.

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“The other teams that they’re up against have such strong driver pairings, it is imperative for Checo to be delivering results,” she said.

“I know Red Bull have this theory that they don’t want to have the situation where you’ve got two drivers taking points away from each other. They clearly want the number one driver and someone to be there to help that number one driver but they still need to be there collecting points.”

Schiff then said that if she had to pick a mid-season replacement she would go with Lawson and although Rosberg agreed, he said it would be “super high risk because it is such an unknown.”

“It’s such a difficult choice for Red Bull. I still think it might even come down to Spa,” he suggested.

“Let’s see how Spa goes. Because the problem is they don’t really have a great alternative in my view that is definitely going to do better than Sergio out there.”

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