25/02/2024 19:52
| door Shanna Lutgert
Formula 1 journalist and former team boss Peter Windsor would not understand why Red Bull Racing is letting Sergio Pérez go at the end of the 2024 season. In the Brit’s opinion, the Mexican just does what he has to do and is the perfect number two next to Max Verstappen. However, if he is replaced, Windsor sees an opportunity for Alexander Albon and Liam Lawson.
Pérez had a good start to the 2023 season, but halfway through the year his performances went downhill considerably. The Mexican gained a lot of self-confidence after his victories in Jeddah and Baku, but there was none left when Verstappen won continuously from Miami to Monza. The Mexican recovered towards the end of the season, but also experienced a number of low points, such as in Japan. It makes one wonder how long Pérez will last in 2024. “I wouldn’t see why Red Bull would want to get rid of him before the end of the year,” Windsor thinks in his live stream on his YouTube channel. The Brit suspects that there will be no musical chairs halfway through the season.
‘No, I don’t see why. He fits well with Max and the team they have, also with his experience and knowledge,” Windsor continues. “He can still win a race or two, he still does what he has to do.” However, Pérez’s contribution to winning the constructors’ championship was not as great as Verstappen’s. The Mexican only won twice, while his teammate crossed the line first nineteen times. Many think that Red Bull would be better off putting another driver next to the Dutchman, but who should that be? The Austrian team won both titles in 2023, so how bad is it if Pérez performs less than Verstappen?
Ricciardo ‘not even thinking about next year’
If Red Bull decides not to extend Pérez’s contract, or to replace him mid-season, there are plenty of candidates for the second Red Bull seat. ‘If they do release him after 2024, I think Albon has a good chance. If not, it could be Liam Lawson, or Daniel Ricciardo,” Windsor thinks. ‘But I think at the moment Ricciardo is happy to be back in an F1 car. He ruined his career a bit by leaving Red Bull (after 2018, ed.). He has a chance of getting back into a Red Bull, but he is enjoying life now, with a great team, and a great sponsor. I think they have a fast car, so he’s not even thinking about next year.”
Mercedes front wing under the microscope
Pérez and Verstappen will at least represent Red Bull in 2024 and it looks like they have a chance to be dominant again. The RB20 showed very consistent stints during testing, and the first race of the season will prove whether the new car is indeed another masterpiece from top designer Adrian Newey. Other teams have also tried to add innovative things, such as Mercedes with its front wing. “I do wonder if it’s legal,” says Windsor. ‘The problem is that it will create more drag and make it more difficult for the car behind to overtake. Then the essence of the rules for 2022 is gone. If anyone else tries it, they’ll probably ban it forever,” Windsor said.
Read the article on the mobile website
