Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner believes up to 16 drivers would be interested in the vacant seat at the team in 2025 but insists Sergio Perez is in “pole position”.
Perez is in the final year of his current Red Bull deal and is under pressure to earn a renewal amid a tough season last term, trailing 290 points behind Max Verstappen.
Red Bull’s crushing dominance in F1’s latest ground effect era has continued into 2024, with Verstappen leading successive 1-2 finishes to open the current campaign.
Despite ending up 22s adrift of his team-mate in Bahrain, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko hailed the Mexican’s showing in the season-opener as a “big achievement”.
Horner has reiterated that retaining Perez is the Austrian outfit’s preference to partner Verstappen in 2025, but he admits that the squad won’t be short of alternatives.
“We have a phenomenal car. We’ve got one seat open for next year. I’ve probably got 16 drivers that are desperate to be in that car for next year,” Horner commented.
“And Checo is in pole position. It’s his seat to lose.
Although Verstappen is tied to Red Bull through 2028, there has been speculation surrounding the Dutchman’s future since an investigation into Horner concluded.
While Horner was cleared from allegations of inappropriate behaviour, Max’s father, Jos, suggested that the Briton’s position at the helm of Red Bull was untenable.
Both Horner and Verstappen have issued their expectance for the partnership to continue, but the Red Bull F1 boss states: “No individual is bigger than the team.
“I think we have a strong relationship with Max. He’s doing a wonderful job. His focus is very much on what he’s doing on track and that’s where our focus is.”
Pressed on whether other individuals needed to adopt the same stance, he added: “I think there’s probably too much said already by other parties. The team is the team.
“Max is part of the team. Helmut is part of the team. I lead this team. Everybody has a key role to play. That’s it.”
Horner claims that the ongoing tension isn’t impacting the Milton-Keynes-based squad, hinting that Verstappen would not be forced to remain at Red Bull against his will.
“I think that we all have a common interest, which is the performance of the team,” he outlined.
“The team is what comes first for every single member that has a role to play in the team, from the very top to the very bottom.
“Without the team working in absolute harmony, it’s impossible to achieve performances like this. If an individual doesn’t want to be in the team, we don’t force people to be here.
“People are here and they work in this sport, in this team, because they want to be here, because they’re passionate about what they do.
“It’s that passion that enables us to deliver not average results, but exceptional results. It’s that passion and commitment by every member that is what is the DNA of Red Bull Racing. That will continue, not just this week, not next week, but we’ve done 20 years and it will continue for the next 20 years.”
… make that 17. I’m interested in that seat as well!!!
No one is indispensable, life goes on, in no time we see up and coming young talented drivers breaking F1 records in fastest lap times, most GP wins, record points scoring etc etc