Red Bull have been ‘courting’ Max Verstappen rival to ‘no avail’ amid Sergio Perez uncertainty

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Red Bull are assessing possible replacements for the struggling Sergio Perez. But there are problems with each of the drivers in their pool.

Yuki Tsunoda appears the outstanding candidate as the top-scoring driver at RB this season. However, Christian Horner doesn’t think he could ‘survive’ alongside Max Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo won seven Grands Prix during his first stint at Red Bull and is now a veteran of more than 250 races. But his performances this season simply haven’t been consistent enough to merit a promotion.

And then there’s the relative ‘wildcard’ option in Liam Lawson, currently the reserve driver for both teams. In an RB20 filming day at Silverstone last week, Lawson left Red Bull engineers slightly ‘underwhelmed’.

These issues could prompt the Bulls to consider external options, if not for the second half of the season then for 2025. The outstanding free agent on the market right now is Carlos Sainz, a three-time race-winner.

However, there was tension between the Verstappen and Sainz camps at Toro Rosso in 2015, when they were both rookies. This could prevent Horner from reuniting the two drivers.

Red Bull have looked at Lando Norris as Sergio Perez replacement

Aside from Verstappen, Lando Norris may be the most coveted driver on the grid right now. The 24-year-old is now a Grand Prix winner after breaking his duck in Miami and he currently sits a career-high second in the championship behind the Red Bull superstar.

According to The Race, the world champions have been ‘courting’ Norris for a sustained period now. But unfortunately, they’ve been doing so ‘to no avail’ after the Englishman signed a new contract in the off-season.

McLaren have finally furnished Norris with a car capable of taking victories, and he may have a shot at winning the title in 2025. Where once he might have considered an exit, he now has little reason to leave.

What’s more, he could be a ‘disruptive presence’ within the garage. That’s because he’s fast enough to upset the clear hierarchy that’s in place at Red Bull right now.

What Helmut Marko has said to Lando Norris’ father about joining Red Bull

Verstappen and Norris have seemingly managed to maintain their friendship this season even after colliding at the Austrian GP. But it would be much more difficult to survive the strain of being teammates.

This is the dilemma that Red Bull face. They need a driver quick enough to help them win the constructors’ title, but not quite quick enough to create tension within the team.

In trying to woo Norris, it may be that they’re instead preparing for a future beyond Verstappen. He intends to stay for 2025 as it stands, but the situation could be different in 12 months’ time.

Verstappen can leave ahead of the 2026 regulation changes thanks to an exit clause in his contract. This forces Red Bull to draw up contingency plans.

Norris is the kind of A-list driver who could lead any team. Back in April, executive director Helmut Marko jokingly told his father that he would only win his first race after when he joined Red Bull, a prediction that aged poorly but one that seems to confirm their interest.