Karun Chandhok tells Red Bull what their ‘best bet’ is amid Sergio Perez replacement talk

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The talk in the Formula 1 paddock after the Belgian Grand Prix was whether or not Sergio Perez would still be a Red Bull driver at Zandvoort after the summer break.

Red Bull watched on as Sergio Perez continued to slip further and further back from his impressive qualifying position to return to his usual position at the back of the field among the top four teams.

It reached the point that Red Bull decided to pit Perez for a third time in the final few laps just to take the fastest lap point away from Lando Norris.

Max Verstappen needs a teammate who can support him in both championships but stealing a point away from his closest challenger isn’t quite at the level he or the team requires.

Karun Chandhok was speaking on Sky Sports F1 after the race and gave his verdict on the next steps Red Bull should take with Perez.

It’s a critical dilemma Christian Horner and Helmut Marko face over the summer break.

Red Bull meetings will take place on Monday to determine – among other things – whether they should stick with Perez for the rest of the season.

Marko gave a scathing verdict on Perez’s performance at Spa and given his increased influence in the team that might be a real issue for the Mexican.

However, Chandhok isn’t so sure that replacing the 34-year-old is the most straightforward choice.

There doesn’t appear to be a standout candidate to step into his seat and that might be the only thing that saves him after another disappointing performance.

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Karun Chandhok tells Red Bull what their ‘best bet’ is regarding Sergio Perez’s future

Asked if Perez had done enough to stay at Red Bull beyond the summer break, Chandhok said: “The problem is, I’m convinced if you drop Daniel or Yuki or Liam in there, it’s going to be easy for them to just get up to speed straight away.

“I’m not convinced a mid-season swap is going to fix it.

“I think the Constructors’ battle is going to be very tough for Red Bull and their best bet is still to find a way to get Checo up to speed.

“Give him some testing with the older car, take him out in a 2022 car just away from the pressure.

“Let him just rebuild some confidence maybe. But, it’s not a question fortunately that I have to answer.”

Natalie Pinkham then pointed out that Red Bull gave Perez a new contract earlier in the year to try and give him the confidence to kick on.

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Red Bull have plenty of options if they choose to replace Sergio Perez

Three drivers could immediately step into Sergio Perez’s seat should Red Bull decide that the situation is no longer salvageable.

Yuki Tsunoda is not on Red Bull’s radar despite being the highest-scoring RB driver this season in the championship.

Liam Lawson is ready and waiting as the team’s reserve driver and Lawson recently took part in a Red Bull filming day in the RB20 giving the team some data to look at.

Daniel Ricciardo is the likely candidate to replace Perez and Horner gave his verdict on Ricciardo’s performance at Spa after the race.

All three drivers have their pros and cons but Perez staying at Red Bull alongside Verstappen is still by far the most convenient option.

Whether it’s the right option is a different matter entirely.