Red Bull's latest F1 signing could COST team their greatest asset

F1 Features

Red Bull's latest signing could COST team their greatest asset

Red Bull's driver decision could have extreme consequences for the team

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 11 November 2024 12:57 Updated: 20:40

Red Bull’s Driver Academy has undeniably been one of their greatest assets over the years, and after ushering in the likes of Max Verstappen the sport has not looked back.

The team's investment in youth convinced their F1 rivals to also foster young talent in the hope that they would become the next star, with the 2025 grid evidence of this change.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen team-mate debate triggered as Red Bull SWITCH announced

Article continues under video

Four rookies have been confirmed for next year, with Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Alpine all assisting youngsters, such as Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman, Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan into an F1 seat.

However, the tables have turned for 2025, and instead of Red Bull leading this charge they have now fallen behind their rivals.

If Sergio Perez does leave Red Bull, their next driver signing has the potential to render their young driver programme obsolete if they do not hire from within it.

Red Bull's 2025 lineup could have crucial consequences for their young driver programme

WATCH: Bottas tipped as solution for Red Bull's 2025 problem

Will Liam Lawson move to Red Bull?

Now, Liam Lawson could earn the Red Bull seat and prove that their driver academy is alive and well, with a junior driver such as Isack Hadjar naturally taking his place at VCARB.

However, we need to assess the likelihood of Lawson gaining the promotion in the first place.

The Kiwi has three more races to prove he is the best option to replace Perez, and judging from his results thus far, a Red Bull promotion still seems like a gamble.

Lawson is yet to consistently beat team-mate Yuki Tsunoda, and has displayed an impatient character during his on-track battles with Fernando Alonso and Perez.

It is a tough ask for Lawson to prove himself in such a short space of time, and Red Bull’s inability to let Daniel Ricciardo go has cost them crucial races to assess Lawson's merits.

In contrast, Williams star Franco Colapinto has not only had a longer period to prove himself to Red Bull, but also has displayed speed, maturity and consistency that is invaluable to F1 teams.

Liam Lawson still may be a gamble for Red Bull

Franco Colapinto is a threat to Red Bull’s young driver programme

If Red Bull decide to hire the Williams star, it proves that they have more confidence in their rivals’ young driver programmes than their own.

Williams’ decisive axing of Logan Sargeant after the Dutch Grand Prix has benefitted the team massively, and if Red Bull had demonstrated the same attitude with Ricciardo or Perez, they would not be heading into 2025 with driver instability.

Whilst signing Colapinto may remedy the damage inflicted by Perez’s performances, it is still significant that their next hire could be external and demonstrates a lack of confidence in their own talent pool.

If Franco Colapinto joins Red Bull it will deliver a severe blow to their junior programme

Crucially, if young drivers know that they will not receive the support and the chance to race in F1 with Red Bull, top talent may turn to rival teams for their junior careers in a more realistic bid to reach the sport.

Red Bull need to reorientate their young driver programme before it not only becomes obsolete but also fails to attract the next Max Verstappen.

The team have so committed to the drivers of their past that they have ignored the future, unlike Mercedes who have prepared perfectly for life after Lewis Hamilton.

If Verstappen leaves Red Bull in the next few years, they could find themselves scrambling to find a top driver, an embarrassing blow to a team who once boasted an endless pool of racing talent.

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen