All six drivers promoted from RB to Red Bull’s F1 team ranked with Max Verstappen verdict given

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Six drivers have been promoted from Visa Cash App RB to Red Bull over the last 20 years of Formula 1, but not all of them have been as successful as Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel.

With both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda fighting for a Red Bull promotion, one of them could become the seventh driver to make the move from Faenza to Milton Keynes.

Sergio Perez’s very difficult 2024 braking issue killed his overall confidence and performance, leaving him at threat of being replaced for 2025.

Verstappen won the Drivers’ Championship in a car that Checo failed to score a podium in during the last 19 races of the season.

Red Bull could make a £5.4m saving on Perez if they are to move on from him in the off-season, and a decision could come soon.

With the Mexican likely to be replaced by one of two current Visa Cash App RB drivers, here’s a look at which of them ranks best after their moves from the Faenza squad initially known as Toro Rosso and later as AlphaTauri to the main Red Bull team.

Which RB to Red Bull F1 move is the worst of all time?

There are two categories of three drivers for this ranking, with Red Bull’s three race-winning products separated from the other three drivers.

The non-Grand Prix winners are Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Daniil Kvyat, who all completed fewer than 30 races with the senior team after their promotions, which suggests how well they all went.

Albon was given plenty of time to prove himself and just couldn’t find any pace, Gasly was probably cut a bit short and not given enough patience, while Kvyat showed pace but was dealt with ruthlessly.

READ MORE: McLaren boss Zak Brown shares what he’s now hearing about Sergio Perez’s Red Bull future

The quickest of the three was probably Kvyat, who had Daniel Ricciardo as his teammate (a slightly easier ride than the other two had beside Verstappen).

That being said, with the expectation and promise at the time, Gasly’s stint was the most disappointing of the three, closely followed by Albon.

Kvyat was shifted aside for another talent to make his way through the door. Yet the Russian arguably had more to give in that cockpit, so he takes the role of the fourth-best Red Bull product.

Who is the greatest Red Bull F1 graduate – Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo or Sebastian Vettel?

There isn’t too much debate regarding the third-place driver on this list – with Ricciardo failing to win a championship, but taking multiple race wins.

He fared well against both Vettel and Verstappen in their time as teammates, but he didn’t quite stand out like they did.

The biggest debate comes when deciding which of the two four-time champions was better for the Austrian team.

READ MORE: Why Red Bull will ‘never’ again approach five-podium driver to partner Max Verstappen

Guenther Steiner said Verstappen will be remembered longer than Vettel, but it doesn’t help that the German won the last of his titles 11 years ago already.

There’s no disputing the Dutchman’s dominance though, and facing up to and beating seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton during an intense battle is a very impressive feat.

That’s why Verstappen ranks as the number one Red Bull product, just above Vettel even though the German is the only driver ever to have achieved the feat.