Red Bull F1 driver U-turn on the cards as Helmut Marko considers replacing Sergio Perez.

Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are gunning for Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat while others could be in the frame, but Helmut Marko is not certain the Mexican will be replaced

Helmut Marko insists Sergio Perez may yet earn a new Red Bull deal despite heavy speculation that he will be replaced.

The pressure on the Mexican driver’s position is evident due to a string of inconsistent outcomes in 2023, despite possessing the fastest car on the track by a large margin. Red Bull is evaluating their alternatives for 2025 and beyond as his contract is set to end this year.

There is belief that Daniel Ricciardo is the leading candidate to replace Perez if Red Bull decides on making a switch. Yuki Tsunoda, Ricciardo’s teammate, is also likely to be considered. Additionally, hiring someone from outside the team is also being considered as an option.

But team adviser Marko, who has great influence in deciding Red Bull’s driver line-ups, insists Perez is still in with a shot of keeping his place alongside Max Verstappen. “If Checo has a good season, it is quite possible that the line-up in 2025 will also consist of Verstappen and Perez,” he told German outlet Sport

Perez may well be saved by the fact many of the top external candidates to replace him have committed elsewhere. Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris last month signed new deals with Ferrari and McLaren respectively, while the Monegasque will be joined by Lewis Hamilton from 2025.

Red Bull have, in recent days been linked with their former racer Alex Albon who has impressed in his two years so far with Williams. The British-Thai racer’s results and performances look to have made him a target for many teams up and down the grid.

Mirror Sport understands a recent report claiming a contract offer from Red Bull for Albon is already on the table is wide of the mark. It would be premature for the defending champions to make their driver 2025 line-up decision before the previous season has even begun.

But he is undoubtedly a potential candidate for a fairytale return to the team he left at the end of 2020. And Red Bull are not the only F1 front-runners keen on the 27-year-old – Albon is also a potential candidate to replace Hamilton when he joins Ferrari next year.

In terms of Perez, he has no intention of relinquishing his position without putting up a fight.

In relation to his difficulties in 2023, he expressed that they had an impressive start to the year followed by a turbulent period. However, they remained determined, stayed united as a team, and he expresses gratitude to his entire team for their support. “We faced extremely challenging periods, but we successfully achieved the most exceptional season ever recorded by our team.

Additionally, we have gained valuable insights from those arduous experiences, which will only make us stronger when we return next year.”