Max Verstappen’s camp already love ‘perfect’ driver who could replace Sergio Perez next season

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With the departure of Adrian Newey, it’s hard to argue that Max Verstappen isn’t the most valuable asset within Red Bull Racing right now.

Red Bull are on the cusp of winning a fourth Drivers’ Championship this season thanks to Max Verstappen but trail McLaren and Ferrari in the team standings.

That’s because Sergio Perez has been unable to extract the required performance out of an RB20 car that’s become increasingly difficult to drive compared to his rivals cars.

Perez faces losing his Red Bull seat before the beginning of next season, with several drivers being considered to take his place.

It puts the Mexican in a tricky position, although he’s survived similar votes of confidence already this year.

Journalist Ben Hunt was speaking on the Inside The Piranha Club Podcast about Perez’s dilemma.

Keeping Verstappen and his team – including his father Jos Verstappen – happy is essential to the long-term success of Red Bull.

Perez represents a safe option as Verstappen knows he’ll never reach his level, but finding a driver willing to play that number two role isn’t easy.

It’s now understood that RB’s newest driver Liam Lawson does fit the bill for the Verstappen camp.

After impressing in each of his first three races in 2024, Lawson has a chance to earn a promotion that seemed incredibly unlikely just a few months ago.

Max Verstappen’s camp think Liam Lawson is the ‘perfect fit’ to be his Red Bull teammate

Talking about the 22-year-old driver, Hunt said: “The biggest asset is the fact that he is liked by the Verstappens.

“Even Jos Verstappen came out after the Brazilian Grand Prix saying Liam Lawson is doing a really good job and I can’t ever remember Jos Verstappen saying something good about Red Bull ever.

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“So that’s an endorsement and I think it looks as if Red Bull wants to preserve the Verstappen relationship.

“So, that would mean getting in someone alongside him who he likes which makes a perfect fit for Lawson.”

Becoming Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 teammate could be the kiss of death for Liam Lawson

While Lawson is ultimately aiming to become an F1 race winner and champion one day, reaching that goal is much easier said than done.

F1 has been dominated by the likes of Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in recent years.

Only Hamilton was ever beaten by one of his teammates in that time, and bad luck played its part in him losing out to Nico Rosberg in 2016, although that should take nothing away from the German’s impressive efforts that year.

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Lawson will be well aware of how many incredibly competent drivers have been placed alongside Verstappen over the years and failed.

The likes of Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon have been superb for Alpine and Williams respectively, but never made the required step up alongside the Dutchman.

Perez will be remembered as being a very solid F1 driver, but his reputation may be tainted in the minds of modern fans of the sport if they only consider his final years at Red Bull.

Lawson has the required levels of confidence and self-belief to deal with that, but only time will tell if he ultimately has the talent.