Formula 1: Two teams need new drivers, but all eyes are on one

As a seasoned F1 enthusiast with decades of racing history etched into my memory, I must say, the current driver market shuffle is reminiscent of a high-speed chess game played by grandmasters. The recent announcement by Red Bull about Liam Lawson’s promotion to their main lineup has sent ripples through the paddock, leaving Sauber as the team under the spotlight.

18 of the 20 racing spots for the 2025 Formula 1 season are now filled, as all eight competing teams have finalized their driver lineups for the upcoming year. However, Sauber and Red Bull (RB) are yet to announce their drivers for next season.

But in reality, all eyes have turned to Sauber following a recent RB announcement.

It’s been confirmed that Liam Lawson will take over Daniel Ricciardo’s position, partnering Yuki Tsunoda for the rest of the 2024 season. Their first race together will be the 19th one, which is the opening event in a historic 24-race series, scheduled to start at Circuit of the Americas in three weeks’ time.

Although there’s a shift in drivers for the U.S. Grand Prix, Red Bull has not officially revealed who will team up with Tsunoda in 2025 as of now, but it seems that Callum Lawson is the likely candidate based on current indications.

It seems that Red Bull had set a deadline in September for making a decision about the young New Zealander, who was reportedly up for grabs by other teams. However, it looks like they’ve decided to retain his services within their organization next year, with him no longer serving as a reserve driver.

As for Sauber, there are still several possibilities.

They have already secured Nico Hulkenberg as a driver, most likely as a replacement for Zhou Guanyu. As this team is in its final Formula 1 season before Audi takes over completely, the question arises: Should they recruit another experienced racer or aim for an up-and-coming young talent to spearhead Audi’s entry into the sport?

If they decide to bring in another experienced racer, Valtteri Bottas would likely be the preferred choice, as he is already part of the team since 2022 and is said to be interested in staying for a fourth season without the need for a driver swap.

The query is about whether they plan to offer him a long-term contract that spans Audi’s debut or just a single year contract, giving them the opportunity to pursue a skilled but relatively younger driver, like George Russell from Mercedes, who might be open to negotiations after 2025.

However, if they decide to recruit a younger driver immediately, Sauber might pick Franco Colapinto, who has made an impact as Logan Sargeant’s substitute at Williams this year, or Gabriel Bortoleto, the current leader in the Formula 2 championship.

Instead of signing a multi-year contract, choosing a one-year agreement for Bottas’ successor offers the team the chance to review their driver lineup at the end of 2025. Most significantly, this decision allows them to evaluate an entire season’s performance from a newcomer, reducing the risk of going into the 2026 season blind about the new driver’s abilities.

A third open seat?

It’s been proposed that Lawson might step in for Sergio Perez at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen next year, contingent on Perez’s performance during the remaining six races and three sprint races of the 2024 season. This implies that there are yet three teams who haven’t finalized their driver choices for the 2025 season.

It’s been speculated that Perez might declare his retirement during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, but keep in mind that similar rumors surfaced last year with no follow-up action.

Essentially, it’s extremely improbable that Perez, who is under contract until 2026, will be removed from his position following the 2024 season. Consequently, it appears that RB’s lineup will remain unchanged with Lawson and Tsunoda.

In simple terms, it doesn’t appear that the team will need to bring in another driver from the Red Bull Junior Team, like Formula 2’s Isack Hadjar or Ayumu Iwasa from Japanese Super Formula 1, as a replacement for Lawson who is joining Red Bull, unless there’s a mid-season change.

Keeping that point in view, it falls upon Sauber to confirm their lineup for next season, a grid that has already experienced seven driver changes so far – a first in Formula 1’s 75-year history where every driver on all ten teams remained unchanged during the offseason.

2024-10-03 13:32

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