Shock NEW favourite emerges for Verstappen Red Bull team-mate role

Managing a second seat within the Red Bull team is a difficult task – which makes it all the more interesting that there could be a new front-runner for a drive with them in 2025.

Sergio Perez’s contract expires at the end of 2024 and coming off the back of a few topsy turvy seasons, he has no guarantee of remaining with the team.

READ MORE: Ricciardo set to be replaced at Japanese Grand Prix

READ MORE: Marko confirms 'unimaginable' Bearman talks with Red Bull

Max Verstappen is a tricky team-mate to face, as four drivers including Perez have experienced at Red Bull in the space of eight years.

The only driver that really asserted himself against him in that time was Daniel Ricciardo – but he left them at the end of 2018, and his Formula 1 career has plummeted since.

READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Newey 'one hour' from forming all-champion F1 line up

Waiting in the wings

Interestingly, one driver poses a threat to both Ricciardo and Sergio Perez’s seats at the same time, with Red Bull’s Kiwi reserve star – Liam Lawson, eagerly waiting in the wings for a shot in F1.

Despite performing admirably as a fill-in at AlphaTauri last season, he was overlooked for a seat with Visa Cash App RB for 2024.

The time away may have done no harm to his career though, as the New Zealand Herald now reports that he is viewed internally, as Red Bull’s ‘best option’ to partner Max Verstappen long-term.

It places yet more pressure on Perez, after a tricky Australian Grand Prix weekend where he failed to back-up Verstappen following an early retirement.

If Lawson can continue to prove himself in the simulator and in every session he gets a crack at, he may just be the man that Red Bull have been searching for.

READ MORE: Russell begged for red flag in SCARY crash radio message

Related

F1 News & Gossip

Verstappen takes F1 swipe at Hamilton and rivals with ruthless remark

• Yesterday 22:57

Latest F1 News

Newey exit DATE revealed as Red Bull F1 chief set to leave

• Yesterday 08:27