Sergio Perez was able to claim his first podium finish in four races at the Austrian Grand Prix, having finished third behind Charles Leclerc and winner Max Verstappen on Sunday. However, his future at Red Bull remains in question after some recent poor performances, especially in qualifying after failing to reach Q3 for the fourth time in a row.
Red Bull chiefs Christian Horner and Helmut Marko are not renowned for their patience and the Mexican driver’s lack of consistency may be a source of concern. He has another year left on his contract, but has been tipped to be replaced by a host of drivers who would jump at the opportunity to race in the Red Bull car.
Perez came under more pressure during the sprint race, where he and Verstappen came close to a major incident in the first few corners and the Dutchman accused his team-mate of forcing him off the track. Marko claimed that the duo showed “not exactly good teamwork” but the two drivers did clear the air before Sunday’s race.
However, with Perez’s position under threat, several names have been mentioned as potential replacements. Out of 10,284 Express Sport readers, the top two preferred options were Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo.
Less than 70 votes separated the pair, however, as the McLaren man narrowly pipped Ricciardo with 3,624 votes to 3,560. Leclerc sat well behind both with 1,577 votes, though led Alex Albon (1,023) and Yuki Tsunoda (500).
Brit Norris penned a big contract to keep him at McLaren until 2025, but previously admitted that he was flattered with links to another team. “I feel like it’s a compliment that people are talking about it,” he said in April. “It’s nice that a lot of people believe that I should have an opportunity to be able to do better than what I’m doing now, or fighting for higher positions that aren’t what I’m fighting for now.”
Ricciardo is the current Red Bull reserve driver having stepped away from the grid following a disappointing season with McLaren, but has been tipped for a return – potentially moving into Perez’s seat. He is no stranger to the Red Bull team, having raced under their umbrella for four years and took a third-place finish in 2016.
Leclerc took his best finish of the season in Austria, second to Verstappen, though could be racing alongside the two-time world champion in the future.
Both Ferrari drivers are out of contract in 2024, as confusion has reigned over the team over whether talks are ongoing regarding a new deal – but F1 fans believe there is more of a chance that either Norris or Ricciardo could take Perez’s seat instead of Leclerc.
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