Red Bull F1 News: Team eye NEW Mexican driver after Marko meeting

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Red Bull eye NEW Mexican driver after Marko meeting

The champions are looking to expand their driver pool once more

Rhys Thomas

Tuesday 25 June 2024 09:12 Updated: 12:31

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Helmut Marko has made contact with the latest potential addition to the Red Bull Junior Team.

The Austrian, who is in charge of the development driver programme, was spotted meeting with a young talent in Barcelona at the Spanish Grand Prix.

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The academy has produced some of the finest drivers in modern F1, including six of the current grid members.

Reigning triple world champion Max Verstappen graduated to the senior team aged just 18 in 2016, and other notable alumni include Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.

Helmut Marko heads up the Red Bull junior driver programme

Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen are Red Bull academy graduates

Who do Red Bull want to sign next?

Red Bull are always monitoring junior formulae to find their next prospective champion, and Mexican driver Ernesto Rivera is the latest to receive interest.

Rivera, 15, competes in Spanish Formula 4 with Campos Racing, where he scored his first victory in single seaters earlier in June.

Fellow Mexican Sergio Perez was recently handed a new contract by Red Bull, though has failed to demonstrate the merit of that decision since.

SoyMotor report that Marko, Rivera, and head of Campos Racing Adrián Campos Jr met for 40 minutes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Sergio Perez is Mexico's most successful Formula 1 driver ever

Rivera has no family heritage in motorsport, but his impressive introduction to the European circuit has caught attention, including from Perez's godfather Carlos Slim, who has offered to financially support the youngster's career, though that proposal has been rejected for now.

Last year at the Spanish Grand Prix, Marko met with Pepe Martí, who has since gone on to race with Campos in F2, supported by Red Bull.

Time will tell whether Rivera's early career follows a similar trajectory, or if he can emulate Mexico's most successful F1 export.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Carlos Sainz Helmut Marko Sebastian Vettel