F1 News

Perez and Hulkenberg not serious options for Red Bull? "No contact for months"

11 December 2020 at 08:22
Last update 11 December 2020 at 08:56
  • GPblog.com

Who will be driving at Red Bull Racing in 2021 is still unclear. Some say that Alexander Albon will stay, others know that Sergio Perez already has a seat and a few still think of Nico Hulkenberg, but what is the real situation?

Can Albon stay?

For a year and a half now, Albon has been under pressure at Red Bull, where he has been unable to get close to his teammate. With the team not at the front of the grid, the gap between the two teammates is big at Red Bull and so the call for another second driver has become ever greater. However, the question is whether Red Bull wants to change?

''How long have we been talking about this? Horner keeps mentioning Checo to keep that option open and Albong talks again about this race in which he can prove himself. In any case, we won't hear about it until after this race and I'm still convinced that Red Bull just wants to keep Albon,'' says Lawrence Barretto in the Weekend Warm-Up. His colleague, Will Buxton, is starting to see that more and more.

Perez just a distraction?

''Horner talked about Sergio and Nico as a serious option and then I thought 'huh', because Nico says Red Bull hasn't been in contact with him for months. So I asked Horner if he doesn't just use those names to strengthen his negotiating position with his own driver and then his answer is that the Albon is his seat to lose,'' says the Formula 1 journalist.

''Then suddenly I thought Lawrence is right, because that is not a real answer, but more of Christian's political talk. However, if you talk to some important people after Perez's victory, they all say that the contract is long over and then you see Helmut Marko and Perez together after the race and Marko doesn't like to give compliments,'' Buxton concludes.