Red Bull facing a ‘thorny situation’ as driver dilemma escalates before F1 2025

Sky F1 commentator David Croft has said Red Bull find themselves in a positive but “thorny situation”, as their “abundance of talent” leaves them with more drivers than seats for next season.

With the likes of Liam Lawson and Formula 2 championship leader Isack Hadjar looking for a seat next year and Sergio Perez under pressure for his drive but under contract for 2025, while there is talent knocking at the door for a drive in Formula 1.

Red Bull facing positive but ‘thorny situation’ as driver situation develops

Croft pointed out that, even if Perez does not see out his Red Bull deal, the team will likely have to pay him what he is owed after he signed a contract extension earlier this season.

Alongside that, with Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson the two favourites to step up to Red Bull, the commentator wondered if former Red Bull driver Ricciardo is “doing enough” to warrant a return to his former seat alongside Max Verstappen as it stands.

But with that, though, it is a sign that despite it being a “thorny situation” for Red Bull to navigate, it shows they have plenty of talent from which to choose their race drivers.

“The thing is, Sergio is contracted for next year. He has a contract for next year,” Croft explained on the Sky F1 podcast.

“So if Red Bull don’t take him up on that contract, I’m assuming they’re going to have to pay him – and I’m assuming that that’s more money than Liam Lawson or Daniel Ricciardo. Assumptions on that one. I don’t know the answer.

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“So if you’ve got to pay off Sergio Perez, well, you know, Liam Lawson’s not going to attract a huge contract, because you’re paying out quite a bit already, and with Sergio, if Sergio is not driving, then that sponsorship money, does that still come to the team that he brings in, or do they lose that as well?

“Daniel Ricciardo, I hate asking this question, because I love Daniel Ricciardo as a human being. I just think he’s a brilliant guy, and as a racer, I think we have seen some brilliant moments, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching and commentating on Daniel Ricciardo over the years. Is he, though, doing enough to warrant a promotion to Red Bull?

“That’s a question I think you need all the data, you need to look at it, at all the scenarios, but is he doing enough?

“Is a man who scored three points finishes this season, who trails his team-mate 9-5 in qualifying and is 10 points behind his team-mate. Is he doing enough to warrant a promotion?

“I’m not using this platform as a criticism of Daniel Ricciardo, but I can see where all the hesitation is over putting him in.

“Now, if it was me, I’d put Liam Lawson in, because I don’t think you’re going to have a worse situation on the track.

“But will Liam Lawson fit in with Max Verstappen, and will they be the team-mates that Red Bull need? Will there be harmony between the two team-mates? Is it better to put Daniel Ricciardo in because maybe he’s going to be, I don’t know I’m assuming once again, a more compliant team-mate to a Max Verstappen who is very much your number one driver?

“And Liam goes into the RB potentially, because you wouldn’t demote Sergio down to the RB, because RB is meant to be the junior team that brings along the junior drivers.

“It’s not just Liam Lawson, you know, there’s [Isack] Hadjar as well that’s coming through and doing well, and it’s a bit of a thorny situation for Red Bull to try and solve, but it’s a good situation because they’ve got an abundance of talent there, but it’s a talent that isn’t quite right at the moment, because one person at the top isn’t producing the results that he was at the start of the season and is demanded of him now.”

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