2024 is going to be a busy year for the driver’s market as there are 12 of them who will run out of contract at the end of the season. The season is especially going to be tiresome for Red Bull as they might have to look for Sergio Perez’s replacement. Among the candidates to fill the seat are VCARB’s drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.
However, it wouldn’t be an easy decision to choose between the two if the Austrian team opts to promote from within. That is because AlphaTauri’s chaotic 2023 season did not present a fair assessment of either driver.
Ricciardo’s arrival in the middle of the season and subsequent absence for five races hampered consistency. That also meant that the team did not have reliable data to judge Yuki Tsunoda for comparison. However, The Race’s Mark Hughes seems to have a suggestion about how Red Bull can pick between Ricciardo and Tsunoda.
Hughes suggests, “Red Bull has the world’s #1 driver under contract, the two teams share a simulator. What is there to stop them having Max Verstappen drive the car in the sim?”
He adds, “If Verstappen is a big chunk faster than either Ricciardo or Tsunoda, or if he’s not, either way, Red Bull has its answer.” Hughes cited Article 17.2.8 of the technical regulations that allow for such sharing of test facilities and equipment.
The arrangement could come in handy to decide the fate of Ricciardo and Tsunoda, as both will run out of their contracts in 2024. It could also help in determining if the two are any better than Sergio Perez, who will be fighting for his seat in the upcoming season.
Does Red Bull have no option but to choose between Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda?
Sergio Perez started off the 2023 season on a high with two wins out of the first four races. However, that was the end of the victorious run for him as his form took a major tumble. With each passing race, a drop in confidence was evident and his position in the team came under question.
Regardless, Red Bull continued to back him, determined to complete the tenure of the contract. However, Perez is in his final year of that contract now and will have to prove himself to earn an extension.
But if he fails to do so, what are the options at Red Bull’s disposal? Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are certainly the first choice given how most top drivers have sealed their fate.
That excludes Carlos Sainz, who could return to the Red Bull family as Lewis Hamilton prepares to replace him at Ferrari in 2025. If the Milton Keynes-based outfit shifts its gaze away from the proven top talent, Liam Lawson could emerge as a reliable alternative.
The New Zealander had an impressive five-race stint when he replaced the injured Ricciardo in 2023. Despite the car’s blatant shortcomings, the youngster came close to scoring points on multiple occasions. He managed to achieve it under difficult conditions in Singapore with a P9 finish.
Another factor that could play a role is Tsunoda’s precarious position in the team after Honda exits in 2025. There are questions about Red Bull’s intentions to field him once their partnership with Honda ends. Therefore, they may well be looking to replace not one but two drivers in the future.
The 23-year-old is reportedly in contact with Aston Martin to join them. The Silverstone-based team may have to get him in to replace Fernando Alonso, who may be on his way to Mercedes.
