Red Bull have ‘made noises’ about signing ‘extraordinary’ driver as part of their 2025 RB line-up

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Red Bull have yet to finalise either of their driver line-ups for 2025. A wide variety of scenarios remain in play.

The most simple would be sticking with the status quo. Red Bull could honour their initial contractual commitment to Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen, despite his chronic underperformance, and evaluate Liam Lawson over a full season next to Yuki Tsunoda.

However, Lawson could take Perez’s seat if he’s the lead driver at RB in the next six races. Despite Christian Horner’s doubts, Tsunoda could also earn a Red Bull spot by decisively beating the newcomer.

There’s a strong possibility, then, that RB will need a new driver for 2025. It seems highly unlikely that Perez will drop down as Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat did previously.

Instead, Isack Hadjar would be the standout candidate. Hadjar is currently battling McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto for the F2 title.

However, Red Bull have doubts about the youngster. Horner has barely mentioned Hadjar when discussing future options, instead talking up 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad, who’s yet to qualify for a superlicence.

Red Bull could sign Franco Colapinto even though it ‘reflects poorly’ on driver programme

According to The Race, Red Bull executive director Helmut Marko has ‘made noises’ about signing Franco Colapinto from Williams. Colapinto is on a short-term deal until the end of the season after replacing Logan Sargeant but already knows he won’t race for the team next year after the signing of Carlos Sainz.

Williams are hoping to place Colapinto at Sauber, who still have a vacancy next to Nico Hulkenberg. But if that deal doesn’t come off, ‘it’s not impossible’ that Red Bull will try to ‘lure him away’.

It would ‘reflect poorly’ on the team’s young driver programme if they made another external signing. Perez joined from outside the pool in 2021.

But Colapinto has been so impressive that they wouldn’t want to pass up the opportunity. He’s already scored four points and reached the pace of the vastly more experienced (and highly-rated) Alex Albon.

What Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have said about Franco Colapinto

Both Marko and Horner have publicly expressed their admiration for Colapinto. This could be sincere, without any ulterior motive, given that many in the F1 paddock have been stunned by the Argentine.

But it’s also feasible that they’re trying to woo the 21-year-old. Marko noticed the ‘extraordinary’ Colapinto during his days in Formula 3.

Meanwhile, Horner has called Colapinto ‘exceptional’. The team are aware of how good their former driver Albon is, so they can use that as a reference point.

Sauber see Valtteri Bottas a ‘safe’ bet, but Colapinto already looks too good not to be on the grid. The strength of his case could become overwhelming if he continues to improve in the final six races.