Red Bull have not given up on signing 24-year-old Formula 1 driver for 2025 yet

Follow us on Google Discover

Red Bull Racing are assessing all possible options for their driver line-up ahead of the 2025 season and reportedly haven’t given up on hiring Lando Norris.

Max Verstappen’s seat is safe for as long as he wants to stay in Formula 1, but Sergio Perez is under much more pressure.

Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Alex Kalinauckas has shared what he’s heard about Christian Horner and Helmut Marko’s potential plans.

It would be a surprise if Red Bull went on to win both championships in 2024 as easily as they did last year.

The likes of McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes will be hoping they can close the gap at the front of the grid during the off-season.

It means Red Bull will need Sergio Perez to improve on his performances from 2023 as Max Verstappen might need more help at the front of the grid.

Verstappen was simply sensational last year and scored enough points to the Constructors’ Championship on his own.

However, if one of Red Bull’s rivals is suddenly on their tail, then Perez’s performances are going to matter an awful lot more.

And if Horner and Marko don’t think Perez is up to the task then Red Bull hiring Lando Norris suddenly makes a lot more sense.

He would be one of the most expensive drivers on the grid to hire if they decided that was the right course of action given his contract doesn’t expire until 2025.

Whether McLaren would ever allow a move to happen is another thing, but if they can’t provide a winning car to the 24-year-old then he may look for a way out.

Red Bull still interested in hiring Norris

Speaking about the situation at Red Bull, Kalinauckas said: “The only thing that I could see, and I would like to see this happen just because it would be tremendously interesting is that Red Bull finally gets to sign Lando Norris.

“They’d have to pay to do that, well we know he’s been on record, Christian Horner has spoken about at least maybe three occasions that Lando Norris, they sounded him out shall we say and then their line is that the next day he went and signed a new McLaren contract.

“Well, my understanding is that they’ve not given up hope of ever signing him, there’s always been a little in the background, the odd word in the paddock, Helmut Marko, things like that.

“If they’re really done with [Sergio] Perez, it would be an amazing thing to see them put their money where their mouth is, they have a lot of that, they have a lot of stuff about them to shape things up and they have the money, they could buy Norris out of his McLaren contract.

“That would make for a very interesting silly season.”

If Red Bull did end up hiring Norris, then the knock-on effect on the rest of the grid would be fascinating.

McLaren do have some exciting talent in their academy but might look for a more experienced driver.

The likes of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly would be available and could provide the perfect foil for Piastri.

However, McLaren will want to do everything they can to retain their current pairing and push Red Bull with Norris on their side.