With just days to go before the Dutch GP, Red Bull is believed to have a ‘Plan B’ in place if Sergio Perez fails to overcome his performance slump. If necessary, the team is expected to promote VCARB driver Daniel Ricciardo to drive alongside Max Verstappen, with reserve driver Liam Lawson taking the junior seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
Despite putting in a promising performance in the first five races of the season and securing a two-year contract extension with Red Bull, Perez experienced a sharp decline in performance that saw him barely score any points. It got to a point where rumours of his departure from Red Bull made headlines until team boss Christian Horner made it clear after a meeting during the summer break that he would continue to drive for Red Bull.
Ricciardo’s disappointing performance in 2024 has also drawn criticism and fuelled rumours of his potential exit. There has even been speculation that he could replace Perez after the summer break. While Perez’s seat seems secure for now, the possibility could still be part of Red Bull’s ‘Plan B’.
Recently, Helmut Marko, the team’s chief advisor, announced that a decision on Lawson’s future with the team will be made in September. Lawson has been eagerly awaiting a full-time role in Formula 1 following his spectacular performance in five races last year when he served as a reserve driver for Ricciardo.
Lawson’s contract reportedly contains a clause that sees him promoted to a full-time position in 2025. However, with the clause expiring in September, Red Bull is expected to soon fill positions while keeping an eye on Perez’s performance. On the subject, F1 presenter Lawrence Barretto wrote on Formula1.com:
“If Red Bull decide that the Mexican is still not showing enough despite stronger support and several races in which he has been able to prove his worth, they will most likely promote either Ricciardo or Lawson to that seat.
“It should be said that Red Bull’s Plan A is to keep Perez… but it makes sense to have a Plan B as a backup. Sources say that as things stand, Ricciardo would probably get the nod, while Lawson would move into the now vacant RB seat alongside Tsunoda.”
However, Ricciardo’s future remains uncertain as he has not yet secured a contract extension for 2025. His teammate Tsunoda, meanwhile, has already secured a place for the 2025 season as he has consistently performed better than Ricciardo on several race weekends.
Red Bull may be waiting to evaluate Ricciardo’s performances more closely before offering him a contract extension for 2025, or considering promoting him to the Red Bull team, the report suggests. Given Marko’s recent comments questioning Ricciardo’s willingness to take a seat at Red Bull, the situation remains unclear and could develop in a number of directions.
