Red Bull facing a ‘thorny situation’ as driver dilemma escalates before F1 2025

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen talk.

Sky F1 commentator David Croft has said Red Bull find themselves in a positive but “thorny situation”, as their “abundance of talent” leaves them with more drivers than seats for next season.

Talented drivers such as Liam Lawson and Formula 2 championship leader Isack Hadjar are seeking a seat next year in Formula 1. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, despite being under contract until 2025, is feeling the pressure for his drive. Hence, there is no shortage of talent eager for a chance to drive in Formula 1.

Red Bull facing positive but ‘thorny situation’ as driver situation develops

Croft highlighted that, regardless of whether Perez completes his Red Bull contract or not, the team will probably still have to fulfill his financial dues, following a contract extension he signed earlier this season.

In addition, the commentator questioned whether Daniel Ricciardo, a former Red Bull driver and current favorite alongside Liam Lawson to return to Red Bull, is “doing enough” to justify his reappointment to his old seat next to Max Verstappen.

However, this indicates that despite the “thorny situation” Red Bull is facing, they still have a vast pool of talent to select their race drivers from.

“The thing is, Sergio is contracted for next year. He has a contract for next year,” Croft explained on the Sky F1 podcast.

Therefore, if Red Bull decides not to sign the contract with him, I presume they will have to compensate him – a compensation that I suspect could be more substantial than what Liam Lawson or Daniel Ricciardo receive. However, these are just assumptions and I don’t have any confirmed information.

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If you have to pay off Sergio Perez, it’s unlikely that Liam Lawson will command a large contract, given the significant payout already being made. Additionally, if Sergio is no longer driving, it’s unclear whether the sponsorship money he brings in will still be provided to the team or if they’ll lose it.

“Daniel Ricciardo, I hate asking this question, because I love Daniel Ricciardo as a human being. I just think he’s a brilliant guy, and as a racer, I think we have seen some brilliant moments, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching and commentating on Daniel Ricciardo over the years. Is he, though, doing enough to warrant a promotion to Red Bull?

I believe you need to consider all the data and examine every scenario to answer that question. But, is he really doing enough?

“Is a man who scored three points finishes this season, who trails his team-mate 9-5 in qualifying and is 10 points behind his team-mate. Is he doing enough to warrant a promotion?

I’m not utilizing this platform to criticize Daniel Ricciardo, but I understand the hesitation surrounding his inclusion.

If it were up to me, I would include Liam Lawson, as I believe it wouldn’t worsen the situation on the track.

Is Liam Lawson a good fit with Max Verstappen, and are they the team-mates Red Bull is looking for? Can they maintain harmony as team-mates? Or would it be more beneficial to place Daniel Ricciardo in the team, given he might be a more agreeable team-mate to Max Verstappen, who is undeniably the number one driver? These assumptions, however, are conjectural.

Liam potentially moves to the RB as it would be inappropriate to demote Sergio to the RB. This is because the RB is designed as a junior team to nurture and develop junior drivers.

Liam Lawson isn’t the only one, Isack Hadjar is also making strides. This creates a tricky scenario for Red Bull to figure out. However, it’s a favorable situation as there’s an excess of talent. But, the talent isn’t quite up to mark presently, because the leading player isn’t yielding the results he had initially in the season and as expected of him now.

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