Yuki Tsunoda says his confidence changed massively through the Japanese Grand Prix weekend but he will need to reset ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Red Bull swapped Liam Lawson and Tsunoda ahead of the race at Suzuka, demoting Lawson to …
Yuki Tsunoda says his confidence changed massively through the Japanese Grand Prix weekend but he will need to reset ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Red Bull swapped Liam Lawson and Tsunoda ahead of the race at Suzuka, demoting Lawson to Racing Bulls after just two events. While the move looked to be paying off as Tsunoda enjoyed a strong set of practice sessions and Q1 outing, he failed to escape Q2 and was stuck in traffic that prevented him from scoring points, something he admits was a big disappointment at his home race despite the experience he gained.
“It’s tough because I wanted to at least finish in the points,” Tsunoda said. “I am happy with the race in terms of what I have learnt but not in terms of result, so it’s mixed feelings. I was feeling a lot of support from the crowd, every lap it felt more and I wanted to give something more back to them.
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“At least I know I did the maximum I could in the race and these 53 laps gave me so much to learn about the car. I now know what kind of things I need to work on. I was stuck behind cars all day in traffic so it’s hard to know the full race pace of this car but, every lap of the 53, I was building up my confidence in the car.
“That confidence level is now completely different from the beginning of the weekend to now, I feel positive about that, but I am still disappointed because it is a home grand prix and it’s only once a year.
“I need to reset before Bahrain and I am sure compared to what I was feeling, in terms of car and in terms of confidence it will naturally be better there. I will understand more about the car, and I am excited for the next one, I just need to do better in qualifying.”
Team principal Christian Horner agrees with Tsunoda that he is capable of better results based on the performance he showed at times during the Suzuka weekend, and says he’s impressed with how the 24-year-old has settled into the team.
“He’s given very good feedback,” Horner said. “His P1 was very strong, P3 was fine, Q1 he was only a tenth away from Max… Q2 he made a mistake – he was 15ks quicker than he’s ever been into Turn 1, had a moment and then you’re chasing the lap the rest of the way.
“So qualifying 14th dictated his race. He made an overtake and had an undercut on Pierre Gasly. And then spent the rest of the afternoon looking at Fernando Alonso’s rear wing.
“But in a race where there was… I can’t remember seeing any overtakes, at all … I think that had he qualified higher he would have finished naturally higher. I think he’s given good feedback. And I think that now he’s finding his feet in the team, we’ll see over the next few races that performance will step forward.”
Yuki Tsunoda says the Red Bull feels “a bit more tricky” to drive in reality compared to the simulator, despite making an encouraging start in FP1 at the Japanese Grand Prix. There was plenty of focus on Tsunoda’s first outing in the RB21 during the …
Yuki Tsunoda says the Red Bull feels “a bit more tricky” to drive in reality compared to the simulator, despite making an encouraging start in FP1 at the Japanese Grand Prix.
There was plenty of focus on Tsunoda’s first outing in the RB21 during the first practice session of the weekend at Suzuka, and he duly posted a best lap time just over 0.1s off teammate Max Verstappen at a similar time in FP1. The afternoon running was hit by four red flags that meant many teams missed out on representative data, but Tsunoda admits he got enough running to feel the challenges of his new car.
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“Yeah, FP1 was better than expected, a good start for myself,” Tsunoda said. “And FP2 I didn’t set a lap time. I think there is a lot of work to do, maybe slightly struggled or something that we have to look through the data in FP2 more, but so far overall it’s OK. I just have to build up confidence more.
“It’s a bit different to the simulator from what I felt, to be honest. A little bit more than I expected in terms of the car feeling. I knew anyway it was always going to be a bit different in the real car and it was a little bit more exaggerated in the real car. It’s feeling a bit more tricky.”
While Tsunoda is a new addition to the Red Bull lineup, Verstappen has been calling for car improvements for some time, and says the lack of confidence he has in the car is hurting his pace.
“It was quite chaotic out there for everyone with the red flags,” Verstappen said. “So we, like everyone else, couldn’t complete all the things that we wanted to do. But today has been quite difficult for me, just trying a lot of different things with the car. But it seems like a lot of things are not really clicking at the moment.
“It’s quite difficult just to put the lap down. You need a lot of confidence and commitment around here. And at the moment, I don’t feel like I can use that. So we still have a bit of work to do.”
Verstappen also complained of a strange sensation with his whole car flexing during FP1, but says that is an ongoing issue that appears more prominent at Suzuka and will take time to understand. Of more immediate concern for the defending champion is getting a read on how the Red Bull’s race pace is looking on Saturday.
“Not so much [graining] for us. But I was on the soft, so that tire requires a lot of management anyway. You can’t really push that tire. And then I only did like three laps at the end.
“So not really a good read. I think tomorrow, potentially in FP3, you will see a lot of teams trying to do a bit more of a longish run with the time that you have. But yeah, it’s not been an easy day.”
“Well, I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right? It was not a mistake.” Max Verstappen is not happy. At the center of a crowd huddled around a small table in the temporary hospitality building that is home for Red Bull …
“Well, I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right? It was not a mistake.”
Max Verstappen is not happy.
At the center of a crowd huddled around a small table in the temporary hospitality building that is home for Red Bull for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, the Dutchman would not discuss exactly what he told the team about his thoughts on Liam Lawson’s demotion after just two races, but he still found a way to get the message across.
Former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde had published an Instagram post in support of Lawson a week ago, in which he said of the situation: “in my opinion this comes closer to bullying or a panic move than actual high athlete achievements”. And Verstappen had liked it. On Thursday he confirmed that it was he who had done so, as he agreed with the sentiment.
Christian Horner wasn’t at Suzuka while the drivers were facing questions about the situation, instead still traveling down from Tokyo for a Friday arrival when he will become central to the story. But in his absence, it was Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies – encouraging a supportive and welcoming atmosphere from his personnel towards Lawson on his return – and the drivers themselves who were the focal point.
Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda had their say, but other drivers were naturally asked about the situation, too, and while Tsunoda is a seriously popular figure in the paddock, not all of the viewpoints were positive.
“I’m not surprised to see them move that early, no,” Lewis Hamilton said. “But I don’t really have any views on other teams.
“Both great drivers, I think we’ve got a lot of really great drivers here and particularly young talented drivers, I think there’s naturally a lot of pressure on youngsters coming in and I think there’s no way you can get fully on top of a car which is known to be not the easiest car to necessarily drive – just to give him two races was pretty harsh.”
From the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time to the most recent race-winner, there were multiple drivers who voiced their opinion that two races is not enough to be judging someone on.
“I think what we’ve seen from Liam in the first two races is not a reflection of his talent,” Oscar Piastri said. “I’ve raced Liam for a number of years and I think he’s an incredibly competitive driver. I don’t think the results he showed in the first two rounds are indicative of what he’s capable of, and I’ll leave it at that.”
The word “brutal” has often been used over the past week, from both a media or fan perspective, but also senior figures within the F1 paddock. Tsunoda acknowledges that can often be the case with Red Bull, but offers an interesting take on it perhaps being one of the reasons for the team’s past successes.
Tsunoda says the decision to overlook him in favor of Lawson in the first place was “brutal”. Clive Mason/Getty Images
“For me at least, it was brutal enough last year at the end of the season when they chose Liam over me,” Tsunoda said. “It is what it is. I’m sure Liam also understands how quickly things can change within our structure. That’s one of the reasons we succeed, but also one of the reasons why we tend to get a little more attention with those situations.
“I have confidence. I’m not saying I have the confidence that I can perform straight away like Max, but I have confidence that I can do something different – hopefully – compared to other drivers that will be in the car. If I didn’t have confidence, I wouldn’t be wearing this [Red Bull t-shirt], I would have stayed in Racing Bulls.
“Racing Bulls already have such a good car, and I understand how they extract performance in every race so far but because I wanted to have a new challenge, and I have good confidence to challenge myself, so that’s why I’m wearing this and hitting the track with a different livery.”
Mekies did his best to put the positive spin on it, and there are positives, but they also create a lot of internal conflict for many. Given Lawson got so little time to prove himself, the fact he still has a seat – with something to prove and the chance to prove it – is what his new team principal is encouraging. And it’s hard to argue that it wouldn’t be great to see.
But at the same time, you’ll be hard pushed to find anyone wanting to see Tsunoda struggle, too, even though that might be the most likely outcome in a car that has proven extremely tricky to drive for both Lawson and the far more experienced and successful Sergio Perez. And if Tsunoda is going to find the going tough, then it would be particularly cruel to see that at his home race.
The entire circuit is going to be rooting for him this weekend, and I imagine plenty watching from around the world too. But then if we get our wish and Tsunoda also performs well, then you end up with both drivers delivering, and Red Bull being vindicated in making the switch. And with my apologies to the team, the last part doesn’t quite feel like the most positive aspect.
Especially if that could be seen as papering over cracks that Verstappen himself says cannot and should not be ignored.
“Maybe we can now see how difficult it is to drive that car,” Verstappen said. “I don’t think you need to have a look at anyone, to be honest. What has been done has been done. I think it’s more important that we take a good look at ourselves and just keep on working and keep on improving the car.
“I don’t care what anyone else thinks. Or ‘poor Checo’, or ‘poor this’, or ‘poor that’. At the end of the day, we got ourselves into this situation, so we just need to work on it.”
The defending champion is not satisfied. How Tsunoda and Lawson fare this weekend is going to be fascinating to watch, but so too are Verstappen’s fortunes.
Yuki Tsunoda says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told him to be prepared in case of a promotion before his seat swap with Liam Lawson was confirmed, Red Bull opted to replace Lawson after just two races of the 2025 season; the New …
Yuki Tsunoda says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told him to be prepared in case of a promotion before his seat swap with Liam Lawson was confirmed,
Red Bull opted to replace Lawson after just two races of the 2025 season; the New Zealander failing to get out of Q1 in either event and not troubling the points. Tsunoda got the nod to make the step up last week, and said Horner had told him of the possibility prior to finalizing the decision.
“I can’t say specific details, to be honest,” Tsunoda said. “The first call I got was from Christian Horner after China, saying maybe be prepared, things might change a little bit. That was around Monday or Tuesday.
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“I was in the UK for preparation for Suzuka – that was already planned. I did a simulator session with Red Bull Racing, at that point it was just in case. Within two or three days in the UK, he confirmed it in person. So that was kind of the timeline. I can’t say when specifically but that was the timeline.”
Tsunoda said Horner wanted him to keep the possibility he would be promoted to himself, but he has since received messages from former Red Bull drivers after the news was made official.
“He wanted me to be very confidential, so literally I didn’t call anyone … I really didn’t say anything, not even to my parents,” he said. “Actually, I told them maybe the day before the news came out.
“I got a message from Pierre [Gasly], that he wanted to call me about the experience he had in Red Bull, about the things he should have done in Red Bull, and he wanted to share a couple of ideas he thought could work for the coming races in Red Bull. That was very nice of him, and very useful tips.
“I also got support from Checo [Perez] as well. All Red Bull family drivers gave me supportive messages. Those two have been very supportive to me, and I really appreciate it. They’re drivers I respect a lot, so I’m very happy.”
On Thursday Tsunoda revealed he had yet to speak to Helmut Marko about his move, later finding he had missed a call from the Red Bull advisor. Horner, meanwhile, has given the Japanese driver clear instructions as to what is expected of him.
“Basically, be as close to Max as possible, which anyway gives good results for the team, also it allows the team to support other strategies in the race,” Tsunoda said. “They’ve clearly said the main priority is Max, which I completely understand, because he’s a four-time world champion and so far already in the last few races even in difficult situations he performed well.
“Also, to help the development as well with my feedback. They were very happy with my feedback in Abu Dhabi, so just continue that. But the main priority is to be close to Max – which won’t be easy, for sure.”
Given his first race for Red Bull is his home grand prix at Suzuka, Tsunoda said it’s a perfect scenario for him to get the chance to try and fight nearer the front during the last year of the Honda partnership.
“Really looking forward to it – it can’t be crazier than this situation,” he said. “First race in Red Bull Racing and on top of it, a home grand prix. I think it’s the best situation ever. I’m just excited. Simulator went well. I spent a few days in Tokyo, which was really busy, but at the same time I was able to spend it with friends as well. So, really good so far.”
Red Bull is considering making an immediate change to its driver line-up following the struggles experienced by Liam Lawson in the opening two races of the season. Lawson replaced Sergio Perez over the winter after the Mexican scored just nine …
Red Bull is considering making an immediate change to its driver line-up following the struggles experienced by Liam Lawson in the opening two races of the season.
Lawson replaced Sergio Perez over the winter after the Mexican scored just nine points in the final eight races of 2024. That came against the backdrop of Max Verstappen wrapping up a fourth drivers’ championship and scoring 134 points across that same eight-race period, and it was the New Zealander that Red Bull turned to after being impressed with his approach at Racing Bulls over the final six rounds.
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Although the Red Bull has not been a race-winning car in the opening two races, Verstappen has still managed to pick up 36 points while Lawson crashed out in Australia and was classified 12th after disqualifications in China – the latter a weekend where he was classified last in both Sprint and grand prix qualifying.
Melbourne and Shanghai marked the first time Lawson has driven on either of the two circuits, but he admits he doesn’t believe he will be given time to try and get used to the 2025 Red Bull.
“To be honest, we were even more competitive in [Saturday’s] Sprint — we were able to overtake cars and move forward,” Lawson said. “It’s just we tried something with setup to learn something [on Sunday], it was quite a big step, and unfortunately, it just didn’t work.
“So, a lot to learn from this weekend. A lot for me, personally, to get on top of as well. It’s just been extremely tough.
“I’d love to say I just need more time driving the car, but obviously we don’t really have that. So, fortunately, we go to a track that I know, and it’s a track that I like, but I’ll be spending this week very heavily going into absolutely everything to try and obviously do a better job.”
Lawson finished the Chinese Grand Prix over a minute behind Verstappen, who finished fourth, representing a pace deficit of more than a second per lap over the 56-lap race. Although he has raced at Suzuka in both Formula 1 and Super Formula, RACER understands Red Bull will now discuss whether to address the situation before the next race in Japan. Should there be a change made, the most likely outcome is expected to be a promotion for Yuki Tsunoda, with Lawson returning to Racing Bulls.
While Lawson’s future is being considered, a driver swap is not a certainty. Red Bull faced a similar situation last summer when it appeared poised to drop Perez mid-season but surprised many by opting to stick with an unchanged line-up after the summer break.
Amid the growing reports about Red Bull’s current situation, team principal Christian Horner refused to commit to Lawson for the next round in Suzuka, when pushed on the topic following Sunday’s race in Shanghai.
“Look, I think everything is purely speculative at the moment,” Horner is quoted as saying by ESPN when asked if Lawson would still be driving for the team in Japan. “We’ve just finished this race. We’re going to take away the info and have a good look at it.
“I think Liam still has potential – we’re just not realizing that at the moment. I think the problem for him is, you know, he’s had a couple of really tough weekends. He’s got all the media on his back.
“The pressure just naturally grows in this business, and I feel very sorry for him that he’s … you can see it’s very tough on him at the moment.”
Horner also told Sky Sports that Red Bull was thinking of Verstappen’s chances in the drivers’ championship when considering the future of its second car.
“There’s performance that we need to find and we need both drivers up there if there’s to be any chance of fighting for the constructors’ championship. For the drivers’ championship as well, you need to have a second car in play, you can’t just do it one legged.
“Formula 1 is a pressure business, there’s always time pressure, and Liam knows that. Hopefully he’ll respond accordingly and we’ll see where we go.”
Red Bull is back in NASCAR racing through a partnership with Trackhouse Racing and drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch. In addition to serving as the official energy drink of Trackhouse Racing, Red Bull will serve as a primary sponsor in …
Red Bull is back in NASCAR racing through a partnership with Trackhouse Racing and drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.
In addition to serving as the official energy drink of Trackhouse Racing, Red Bull will serve as a primary sponsor in five NASCAR Cup Series races for van Gisbergen on the No. 88 Chevrolet. The company will also serve as the primary sponsor for Zilisch when he makes his Cup Series debut at Circuit of The Americas (March 2) in the No. 87 Chevrolet.
“It’s an incredible chapter in the history of Trackhouse Racing to welcome Red Bull back to NASCAR,” said Trackhouse founder and owner Justin Marks. “Red Bull is one of the most powerful brands in the world and it’s an honor for us to embark on a partnership with such an iconic company.
“Red Bull and Trackhouse share a passion for racing, stories, and memorable experiences. This is a huge win for our sport and a moment that will resonate with the millions of NASCAR fans around the world. I’m thrilled for Connor, Shane, and every member of Trackhouse to partner with who I consider to be the greatest motorsport company in the world. We are more than honored to welcome Red Bull to the Trackhouse Racing family.”
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Van Gisbergen is well acquainted with Red Bull, having been a Red Bull Athlete since 2016 and winning three Supercars championships with the energy drinks company’s support. He will have the Red Bull colors on his car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 16), Sonoma Raceway (July 13), Iowa Speedway (Aug. 3), Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 23), and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 28).
“I have enjoyed a lot of new experiences and met a lot of new people since coming to NASCAR but it is nice to be joined by Red Bull, who has been a big supporter of mine for many years back home,” van Gisbergen said. “I’d love nothing more than to give Red Bull a victory as a way to thank them for joining myself, Connor and Trackhouse Racing.”
It will be the first time since 2011 there has been a Red Bull-sponsored car in the series. Red Bull exited the sport in 2011 with the dissolution of Red Bull Racing.
Zilisch, a Trackhouse Racing development driver, has a full-time ride with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. He became a Red Bull Athlete in August.
“I was surprised when they presented me my Red Bull helmet and hat last summer and doubly surprised when they told me I would make my Cup debut in the No. 87 with a Red Bull paint scheme,” Zilisch said. “Red Bull is going to bring a lot more eyes to NASCAR and I think everyone will win when that happens.”
Red Bull set the pace for energy drinks in the United States nearly three decades ago. But as competitors emerged, so did the pressure to branch out.
The Austrian caffeine merchant has stepped up to fend off the Monsters and C4s of the world. After years of a single flavor that effectively defined what energy drinks tasted like, it’s since expanded its portfolio to a spectrum of flavors. Last summer’s watermelon and strawberry apricot were hits. Now, in the winter of 2025, comes Red Bull Zero — a five calorie sugar-free version sweetened with monk fruit — and Iced Vanilla Berry.
Let’s see if they can live up to the Red Bull standard (of tasting pretty good but also undeniably like Red Bull).
Zero: A-
It pours with the familiar, crushed up Smarties smell vital to the Red Bull experience. It fizzes quickly before settling to a small, steady current of tiny bubbles moving skyward navigating a maze of ice. So far, there’s nothing to suggest this is any different than your typical can.
The first taste is typical Red Bull flavor. Sweet, slightly tart and with an acidic finish that makes it easy to keep coming back to. There’s a bit of sugar-substitute stickiness that clocks in toward the end. I don’t know if I’d notice it if I didn’t know this was a five calorie energy drink, but it does make a minor difference. The monk fruit clocks in just enough to bend things toward a softer, less crisp finish.
It’s a little stronger out of the can, which makes the swap to sugar-ish ingredients less obvious — and is probably how the majority of folks are going to drink it anyway. It’s not quite as good as the real thing, but the trade off is minimal. You’re getting significantly fewer calories and may not be able to tell the difference if it weren’t printed on the aluminum in front of you.
The end result is a pure expression of the energy drink flavor that started it all. With that taken care of, let’s see how this winter’s newest zero calorie flavor tastes.
Iced Vanilla Berry: B
This pours a lovely shade of light Windex blue. I understand that sounds like criticism, but I assure you it’s not. I want my blue drinks to look like a raspberry Jolly Rancher at all times. This pleases me.
It smells tart and sweet and a lot like the aforementioned blue razz that dominated my childhood. Putting it to my lips unlocks… a lot. There’s a bunch of flavor to wade through here, from the acidic Red Bull foundation to that hard candy raspberry to a sweet, sometimes combative vanilla. There’s something incredibly familiar with it (beyond the typical Red Bull sting) that I can’t quite figure out.
It’s dry and a little sour and undoubtedly an energy drink. I’m not sure I like it but I keep coming back to it. It’s like a blue raspberry Warhead that’s spent some time on the shelf. It’s not quite pucker-face sour, but you have to get through a little bit of acid to get to a sweet finish that’s ultimately nice enough.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm’s?
This is a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I’m drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That’s the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm’s. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Red Bull Zero or Iced Vanilla Berry over a cold can of Hamm’s?
I’m beginning to think this metric isn’t perfect for non-alcoholic drinks. But yes, I’d say Red Bull holds up well on the scale from zero to Hamm’s.
Notre Dame legend [autotag]Arike Ogunbowale[/autotag] already had a partnership with Red Bull. That mainly was because she had become a professional athlete. That opportunity was not available to her when she was with the Irish.
Times have changed though, and the NIL era has made it possible for college athletes to be paid. To that end, current Irish standout [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] has partnered with Red Bull herself now. That means the Irish’s past and present have come together in the corporate world.
The only thing Ogunbowale could do was surprise Hidalgo as she was being interviewed by Red Bull. Before Ogunbowale could enter the room though, Hidalgo admitted that she was cheering against the Irish before Ogunbowale hit her legendary championship-winning shot, which changed her perception.
When asked by Ogunbowale who would win a game between the current Irish and the program’s last national championship team, Hidalgo unsurprisingly picked her team. Still, the fact that they’re in the same room together, even if only for marketing purposes, is enough to make Irish fans happy:
Here’s hoping this is the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Hidalgo and Red Bull.
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Sergio Perez addresses the rumors of him leaving Red Bull after the 2024 F1 season. Check out what Perez had to say about the rumors!
[autotag]Sergio Perez[/autotag]’s status at [autotag]Red Bull[/autotag] has been one of the main topics of the 2024 F1 season. Perez sits eighth in the point standings behind the six drivers from McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes, and teammate Max Verstappen. Recently, ESPN’s Nate Saunders reported that Perez is set to leave Red Bull after the season; however, what does the 34-year-old driver think of those rumors?
On Thursday, Perez addressed the rumors that he won’t return to Red Bull for the 2025 season. As of now, Perez believes, at least publicly, that he will return in 2025.
“Nothing has changed since before in terms of what I’ve said for the entire year,” Perez said. “I’ve got a contract for next year and I will be driving for Red Bull next year.”
It remains to be seen if Perez actually returns to Red Bull in 2025, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him leave. The Red Bull driver has really, really struggled this season, and his distance in the point standings from Verstappen is alarming. Yet, Perez earning one more shot at Red Bull wouldn’t be shocking either, as he is under contract.
Red Bull is allowing Sergio Perez to “come to his own conclusions” about the likelihood of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix being his last race for the team. Perez has endured a tough 2024, scoring just four podiums – in the first five rounds of the season …
Red Bull is allowing Sergio Perez to “come to his own conclusions” about the likelihood of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix being his last race for the team.
Perez has endured a tough 2024, scoring just four podiums – in the first five rounds of the season – and currently sits a distant eighth in the drivers’ championship. The gap to teammate Max Verstappen currently stands at 277 points, and Red Bull can no longer defend its constructors’ championship title, leading to a shareholder meeting after the season finale to discuss his future.
“Checo has had a very tough year,” team principal Christian Horner said. “Obviously the points tables are what they are. We’re very much focused on really supporting him to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi, and then obviously it’s not an enjoyable situation for Checo, being in this position with speculation every week.
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“He’s old enough and wise enough to know what the situation is, and let’s see where we are after Abu Dhabi.
“I’m going to let Checo come to his own conclusions, nobody’s forcing him one way or another, I’m going to let him… it’s not a nice situation for him to obviously be in.
“We’ve got one more race this year, we’ll throw everything at it, and hopefully he can have a strong race to end the season in Abu Dhabi.”
Despite Helmut Marko already acknowledging the shareholder meeting, Horner insists discussions over Perez’s future will be discussed privately. However, he would not speculate over the Mexican’s position within the team beyond the final race, even though Perez has a further two years on his contract.
“Checo can’t be enjoying the situation that he’s got at the moment. He’s determined to finish the season on a high,” he said. “Anything regarding the drivers will always be dealt with behind closed doors, and most of all I think our priority is to get to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi. Let’s see if we can finish the season on a more positive note with Checo.”
Should a change be made, RACER understands Red Bull would likely promote one of Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda, and turn to F2 title contender Isack Hadjar for an RB seat over bringing in Franco Colapinto.
“[Colapinto] for sure, is a talent that’s looking to earn his permanent place in Formula 1,” said Horner. “We have a great pool of talent within the Red Bull junior team, and I’m sure Franco will find his way onto the grid in the future.
“You’re always keeping your eye on what the market is in all teams but we have the strength and depth in the junior program. It was good to see Isack Hadjar doing a good job [in Qatar] in Formula 2 as well.
“I think there’s what, half a point between the drivers going into the final race in Abu Dhabi. Liam and Yuki were very closely matched in that race, in terms of pace, so we’ve got a full stable of drivers.”
