Red Bull seems to have secured key to success: Stability

Stability is one of the most important pillars within a Formula One team. It is precisely on that front that Red Bull Racing struck a major blow on Tuesday afternoon. Sergio Perez extended his contract by two years, which means he is now under contract with the Milton Keynes-based formation until 2024. It has been a long time since the driver duo has stayed the same for so long.

The last (and only) time Red Bull stuck with the same drivers for four seasons or longer was between 2009 and 2013. The Austrian team then drove the car for five seasons with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. After five successful years, Webber decided to quit Formula One.

It cannot be ruled out that Red Bull will match, if not break, its own record with Perez and Verstappen. Verstappen is in any case fixed until 2028, so it will mainly come down to Perez. At the end of 2024, the Mexican will be 34 years old. That is a considerable age, but Lewis Hamilton proved last year with his 36 years that with good material he is still competitive and can fight for the world championship.

In recent years it has been a coming and going of drivers. Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon both didn't last long, leaving Verstappen alone in the battle for the world championship. Thanks in part to the arrival of Perez, Verstappen did manage to win his first-ever world title last year.

Red Bull embraces young talent

Yet there is also a real chance that Red Bull will say goodbye to Perez in 2025 and Vettel and Webber will remain the longest-serving duo at the team of Christian Horner and Helmut Marko. After all, Red Bull is known for giving young talent a chance. The time may then be ripe for Pierre Gasly or one of the other up-and-coming talents such as Yuki Tsunoda, Liam Lawson, Juri Vips or the even younger Dennis Hauger.

Proof that stability can be the deciding factor

Between 2009 and 2013, the world title went to Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel no less than four times (out of five possible times). Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg drove together for four seasons, in which they grabbed the world championship for Mercedes three times (between 2014 and 2016). In the years 2017 to 2022, the Hamilton-Bottas duo took the World Constructors' title every time.