F1 news: Red Bull chief hints at BIG April driver moves as Audi apply 'pressure'

F1 News & Gossip

Red Bull chief hints at BIG April driver moves as Audi apply 'pressure'

Ten drivers are out of contract at the end of the current F1 season

By Stuart Telford.

Saturday 13 April 2024 02:00

The driver market is heating up with Lewis Hamilton Ferrari-bound, Fernando Alonso signing a new contract and Audi ready to enter the fray, but Red Bull Racing are unmoved.

Hamilton's blockbuster move to Ferrari has had a knock-on effect, with Carlos Sainz looking for a new drive in 2025.

That seems unlikely to be a seat with Aston Martin after they bolted Fernando Alonso down to a new two-year deal on Thursday.

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Sainz is one of 10 F1 drivers out of contract at the end of this season, and there will be an increase on the supply and demand side with Audi entering a team in 2026.

Their rush to secure drivers ahead of time might have forced Red Bull's hand, but team boss Helmut Marko has dismissed that notion as nonsense.

Perez is favourite to continue alongside Verstappen

Advantage Perez

"The driver market has exploded in April, and normally no one talks in April," he told Motorsport.com. "It is ridiculous, but we won't jump into this game ourselves. We will wait and see, and only then make the best choice later on.

Audi might be tempted to make move for Sergio Perez, champion Max Verstappen's partner at RBR and another one of those drivers whose contract is expiring.

But the Mexican is currently second in the drivers' standings after earning a 1-2 with Verstappen at last Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, and team principal Christian Horner has hinted there is no need to turn to the market.

"We're not in a huge rush," he said. "And, obviously, there's a significant amount of interest in our cars, as you would expect. But Checo has the priority, and it is going to be a few more races yet before we start to think about next year."

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Carlos Sainz Aston Martin Fernando Alonso