Axed F1 star tipped for Red Bull 2025 drive

An image of Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Axed F1 star tipped for Red Bull 2025 drive

Valtteri Bottas no longer has a full-time race seat in Formula 1 from 2025

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 18 November 2024 09:57 Updated: 22:13

An axed star of Formula 1 has been tipped to join Red Bull in a suggested shakeup of the team's driver pairing for 2025.

Despite Christian Horner's outfit delivering a contract extension to Sergio Perez earlier this year, the Mexican racer's form has been far off the pace of team-mate Max Verstappen of late.

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Perez's father recently provided an update on his son's future with the team, confidently stating he believes the 34-year-old will continue to race for Red Bull for the next two years.

Regardless of the contract, team advisor Helmut Marko openly admitted that the team are assessing both RB drivers to weigh up whether Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson would provide better results in 2025 alongside Verstappen.

Whilst the Dutchman looks set to secure his fourth consecutive drivers' title, Red Bull's hopes of retaining the constructors' championship have been crushed, with Ferrari and McLaren now both ahead of them in the standings.

Both RB drivers are reportedly being considered to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull

Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have been weighing up Red Bull's 2025 driver duo

F1 pundit backs shock driver for Red Bull seat

With just three races left in the 2024 season, it looks highly unlikely that Red Bull will axe Perez immediately, despite previously proving they are not afraid to do so following the brutal process they undertook in sacking Daniel Ricciardo.

In a discussion during The Fast and the Curious podcast, F1 broadcaster and pundit Jennie Gow revealed who would be her pick for the illustrious seat alongside Verstappen, highlighting the skills of a recently axed driver.

"Could anyone succeed in that team [Red Bull]?

"I don’t know and that’s why I say Bottas because I think he could take that pressure. He’s got that Australian vibe to him now doesn’t he of like ‘I don’t really give a damn’.

Valtteri Bottas was axed from current team Sauber in favour of a fresh 2025 lineup

"It would be like ‘I don’t care about what people are saying because I know I’m a good driver and I’ll sit in that car and do anything you want.'"

Bottas previously proved himself as what many would argue to be the ideal number two driver, assisting Lewis Hamilton for five years at Mercedes, his efforts contributing to the Silver Arrows securing the constructors' championship title every year that he raced with them between 2017 and 2021.

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

View full biography

Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari McLaren Christian Horner Sergio Perez