Red Bull ‘already decided on’ Sergio Perez’ replacement as rumours swirl

Purple Bull have reportedly “already determined” that Liam Lawson will exchange Sergio Perez for the 2025 F1 season.

That’s in keeping with ESPN, who declare Perez’s extensively anticipated departure from Purple Bull will “probably” be confirmed earlier than Christmas.

Purple Bull are anticipated to make an announcement about their driver plans this week, with Perez set to be dropped after his terrible 2024 marketing campaign.

Perez’s abysmal performances had been largely answerable for Purple Bull slipping to 3rd place within the constructors’ championship.

Lawson, who changed Daniel Ricciardo at RB from the USA Grand Prix in October, is tipped to take Perez’s seat.

Purple Bull mentioned Perez’s future at a crunch assembly involving key shareholders on the Monday after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Purple Bull ambassador function for Perez?

The 34-year-old Mexican and Purple Bull have been locked in negotiations over precisely what the character of his exit might be.

Perez is underneath contract by means of to the top of the 2026 season after Purple Bull opted handy him a two-year extension earlier this yr, one thing workforce principal Christian Horner lately admitted was a mistake.

ESPN report that discussions have centred round whether or not Perez desires to “stay on as an envoy in 2025 or stroll away from the Purple Bull firm completely”.

Lawson is ready to get the nod to develop into Max Verstappen’s subsequent teammate regardless of making simply 11 appearances throughout two stints at Purple Bull’s sister workforce in 2023 and 2024.

The New Zealander’s anticipated promotion would open the door for System 2 championship runner-up Isack Hadjar to take his RB seat alongside Tsunoda.

Purple Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko urged an announcement on the workforce’s 2025 driver line-up plans can be made this week.

“We might be asserting information on the driving force pairing for subsequent yr within the subsequent few days,” Marko wrote in his newest column for Speedweek.

“There’s a whole lot of hypothesis about this, together with rumours about doable switch charges, that are full nonsense.”