Last Updated on October 24 2024, 4:57 pm
Van de Grint expects drastic measures at Red Bull saying: “I wouldn’t be surprised”. This, along with strong evidence that McLaren’s Oscar Piastri might well be moving to Red Bull Racing in 2025 – As the 2024 Formula One season draws to a close, Sergio Perez’s ongoing struggles have had a notable impact on Red Bull Racing’s pursuit of the Constructors’ Championship.
Despite his long-term contract with the team, mounting pressure from team principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko has signalled a potential shake-up, and Dutch analyst Kees van de Grint believes drastic changes are imminent.
Perez’s struggles create pressure at Red Bull
Veteran Mexican driver Sergio Perez has endured a difficult season with Red Bull Racing, consistently failing to live up to the team’s high expectations. Although he remains under contract, his performances have led to growing discontent within the team’s upper echelons.
While Perez was initially signed to help Red Bull’s chances in the Constructors’ Championship alongside reigning world champion Max Verstappen, his underwhelming form has left the team vulnerable in that competition.
Van de Grint, a well-respected figure in the motorsport community and former tyre engineer, weighed in on the matter during a recent appearance on Viaplay’s ‘In de Slipstream’. While he initially offered a possible mitigating factor for Perez’s performance, suggesting that the Mexican may not have had access to the same car updates as Verstappen, his tone quickly turned critical.
“He’s underperforming,” Van de Grint stated bluntly.
“That must be a thorn in the side of Marko and Horner. They are giving away the Constructors’ Championship very easily.”
This scathing criticism reflects the general mood within Red Bull Racing, where the margin for error is slim, especially for a team with championship aspirations.Perez’s inconsistency on track has put a strain on Red Bull’s dominance in the constructors’ championship, with other teams beginning to close the gap.Despite his experience and past success, the pressure on Perez has reached new heights as alternatives emerge within Red Bull’s talent pool.
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Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda waiting in the wings
Adding to Perez’s woes is the rise of Red Bull’s younger drivers.Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, both part of Red Bull’s driver development programme, have attracted attention with promising performances. Lawson, who made an impressive debut as a reserve driver earlier this season, and Tsunoda, who has shown flashes of brilliance with Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, are both seen as viable replacements for Perez.
Van de Grint acknowledged the growing threat posed by these young talents, and suggested that Red Bull may already have a plan in place.
“They have had a plan B for a long time.They have known for a long time what [Perez] is going to do,” explained Van de Grint.
The cryptic statement highlights Red Bull’s forward-thinking approach, with the team often looking to stay ahead of the competition by nurturing young drivers capable of stepping into the spotlight.
While Red Bull have yet to publicly confirm any immediate changes to their driver line-up, Van de Grint believes that Perez’s future with the team is hanging by a thread.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if, after Mexico, the news comes that the team is parting ways with the 34-year-old driver,” he added.
Given Red Bull’s history of making quick decisions, such as the mid-season sacking of Nyck de Vries earlier this year, the prospect of Perez’s departure looks increasingly plausible.
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Red Bull’s financial imperative in the Constructors’ Championship
Van de Grint also highlighted the financial stakes involved in the Constructors’ Championship.For Red Bull, maintaining its status as the top team in F1 is not only about prestige, but also about securing vital financial resources.The payout from the championship is crucial to the team’s operations and underperformance can result in significant financial losses.
“In the Constructors’ Championship, it’s all about the money,” emphasised Van de Grint.
With Perez’s inconsistent form threatening Red Bull’s position, the team may be forced to act sooner rather than later.
“I think someone there is saying, ‘Guys, let’s cut the cord now’,” he speculated.
While Van de Grint admitted that he is not a fan of making drastic changes mid-season, he conceded that in this case it may be the most practical solution for Red Bull.
McLaren team order to Piastri not broadcast
Piastri:Red Bull’s future contingency?
While the Perez situation looms large, Red Bull’s potential future beyond Max Verstappen has also come into focus. With the possibility of Verstappen leaving the team in the coming years, Red Bull are reportedly eyeing McLaren’s Oscar Piastri as a long-term replacement.
According to German journalist Ralf Bach of F1-Insider, Red Bull have already held talks with Piastri’s management team.
Piastri, an Australian driver who has rapidly risen through the ranks of Formula One, has caught the attention of Red Bull’s top brass, including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko.His performances for McLaren this season have been nothing short of impressive, with two Grand Prix wins, three fastest laps and several podium finishes.
The rumours suggest that Red Bull see Piastri as a potential replacement for Verstappen, should the Dutchman decide to explore opportunities with other teams such as Mercedes or Aston Martin.
“Mark Webber is looking intensively for a discussion,” confirmed Helmut Marko, alluding to ongoing talks with Piastri’s camp.With Piastri contracted to McLaren until 2026, Red Bull’s interest has sparked speculation about a possible bidding war or contract buy-out.
New driver war brewing at McLaren?
The interest in Piastri has also raised concerns about McLaren’s driver line-up. Ralf Bach speculated that Red Bull’s pursuit of the Australian could spark a new driver rivalry within McLaren, similar to the infamous feud between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in 2007.
“Experts agree that a drivers’ war is on the horizon at McLaren before 2025,” warned Bach, hinting that tensions between Piastri and teammate Lando Norris could escalate if the former continues to outperform the latter.
Piastri’s emergence as a future world champion has already been recognised by many in the F1 paddock.With just 41 starts to his name, the young Australian has shown remarkable composure both on and off the track. His daring overtake of Norris at Monza earlier this season was a prime example of his coolness under pressure.
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Piastri: The ideal Verstappen replacement?
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull’s interest in Piastri is justified, given his potential to become one of the sport’s top drivers in the coming years.
“He is not only a super talent, but also extremely tough,” Schumacher said.
He added that Piastri has room to grow and could soon overtake Norris in terms of overall performance.
With Red Bull’s future with Verstappen uncertain, Schumacher argued that securing a talent like Piastri would be a shrewd move for the team.
“In the future he will get even better and the small disadvantages he still has compared to Norris will soon disappear,” Schumacher predicted.
If Verstappen were to leave Red Bull in 2026, Piastri would be the “ideal replacement”, according to the former driver.
A turning point for Red Bull?
As Red Bull enters the final stretch of the 2024 season, the spotlight remains firmly on Sergio Perez’s future with the team. With pressure mounting from within the organisation and talented drivers such as Lawson and Tsunoda waiting in the wings, Perez’s position looks increasingly tenuous. At the same time, Red Bull are already preparing for a possible future without Verstappen by courting Oscar Piastri, whose potential as a future world champion is becoming impossible to ignore.
The next few weeks will be crucial for Red Bull as they make key decisions that could shape the team’s future for years to come. Whether Perez stays or goes, and whether Piastri eventually joins the team, Red Bull’s management faces some of the toughest decisions it has faced in recent years.
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Lando Norris and McLaren came into the USGP with huge momentum having outscored Red Bull by 129 points since the British Grand Prix. The MCL38 had evolved from just excelling at circuits with predominantly high speed corners to a genuine all rounder as demonstrated by Oscar Piastri at the stop start track in Hungary.
The constructors’ championship appeared already lost to Red Bull with McLaren now some 41 points ahead of the world champions coming into the race weekend in Austin, Texas.
As if to make matters worse, McLaren’s CEO came out all guns blazing in the southern US state, accusing Red Bull of deploying a secret ride height adjuster which could escape the attention of the FIA when the cars were in parc ferme…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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