Another F1 boss admits he’s considering midseason driver change alongside Red Bull teams

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Red Bull have developed a reputation for ruthlessness when it comes to their Formula 1 driver lineups. In recent years, Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly and Nyck de Vries have all lost their seats midseason.

And there could be changes at both of their teams in 2024. It’s emerged that the Bulls are considering sensationally axing Sergio Perez this summer despite handing him a new two-year contract just last month.

Perez has endured a wretched run of form of late, failing to finish in the top seven since Miami at the start of May. That could open the door for Daniel Ricciardo to make a stunning return.

Ricciardo himself has been at the centre of speculation for much of the campaign. There was even talk that the Austrian Grand Prix could be his final race with RB as the team considered swapping him for Liam Lawson.

But the Australian produced a strong performance in Spielberg to finish ninth, continuing a timely upturn. In a matter of weeks, he could go from the brink of unemployment to one of the top seats on the F1 grid.

If Red Bull do run out of patience with Perez and restore Ricciardo to the seat alongside Max Verstappen, that would of course leave a vacancy next to Yuki Tsunoda at RB. Lawson would be the obvious candidate to fill it.

James Vowles admits Williams are considering axing Logan Sargeant

The F1 grid could look very different when the season resumes at the Dutch GP in late August. In addition to Red Bull and RB, Williams could also replace one of their drivers.

In his rookie year, Logan Sargeant scored just one point, compared to 27 for Alex Albon. This year, Williams have regressed, notching just one top-10 finish in the first 11 Grands Prix.

That means the deficit between Albon and Sargeant is only two points this year, but the disparity in performance remains alarming. The Thai driver has prevailed in every single GP qualifying session, and he also leads the race head-to-head 8-1.

Speaking in the team principals’ press conference at Silverstone (FIA), James Vowles admitted Williams were considering sacking Sargeant prior to the end of his contract. He’s refused to offer the 23-year-old any assurances that he’ll be able to see out the campaign.

“We’re continually evaluating it,” he said. “What we’ve said to Logan is it’s a meritocracy. You have to make sure you earn your place in the sport continuously. That’s been the same message that has been for 18 months really for him.

“And we are open-minded to things. What I’ve said before and I’ve maintained today, is that our car, and this is a responsibility on my shoulders and the team, isn’t quick enough. It’s not a driver issue we suffer from today. We’ve simply been out-developed and we have to make sure we accelerate that process.”

Why Williams may not be ‘interested’ in Kimi Antonelli

The key question is who would step in if Sargeant lost his drive. Perhaps the standout candidate is Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, whom Toto Wolff regards as the next Max Verstappen or Charles Leclerc.

Antonelli has made a steady start to life in Formula 2, but it’s worth noting that he ranks above Prema teammate Oliver Bearman, who’s just bagged an F1 seat at Haas. Williams have also been hugely impressed by his performances in private testing for Mercedes.

But Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft says Williams aren’t ‘interested’ in taking the Italian on a short-term deal. They don’t want to simply train him up for a 2025 move to Mercedes.

This could potentially open the door for Franco Colapinto. The Williams academy driver took part in FP1 on Friday, and Jenson Button has hinted that he may have a shot at securing a seat.