For most of the 2024 season, Red Bull has had a problem with Sergio Perez as their second driver. Various names have come up to replace the Mexican; but to no avail. Amidst these discussions, the Austrian team is urged to look at a proven driver in Valtteri Bottas to solve their in-house ‘crisis.’
Motorsports news hub ‘The Race’ recently uploaded a video on their YouTube channel, where they pointed out the “obvious solution” for the problem staring them in the eye.
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Given his five-year association with Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, Bottas proved himself the ideal wingman for any top driver. And that is precisely what Red Bull is looking for. Max Verstappen is already with them. The Milton Keynes-based outfit doesn’t want a future megastar. What they want is a driver who can keep up with their current top driver and earn consistent points.
The Finnish driver made himself a reliable name as a #2 driver in a top team by securing a podium finish in 57% of his starts for Mercedes. In comparison, Perez only has a 36% podium rate.
What plays even more in Red Bull‘s favor is that Bottas will be a free agent in 2025. The 34-year-old is on a contract with Sauber until the end of this season, and with Audi coming in soon, there has been no news about a potential renewal for Bottas. However, there is one hiccup that would derail a potential Bottas-Red Bull partnership.
Valtteri Bottas’ personal experiences could lead him away from a top team
Having parted ways with Mercedes, Bottas is a changed man. The Finnish driver almost seems liberated and free from all boundaries leading to a major change in his personality. Speaking about the same, the 34-year-old said that the lack of pressure in a top team has allowed him to be more in tune with himself.
: Valtteri Bottas says he’s enjoying his stay at Alfa Romeo where it feels more of a racing team where everyone has the same motivation, unlike Mercedes that feels like a company with too many pressure.#F1 pic.twitter.com/8NZeKn8n1r
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) September 20, 2022
Thus, he technically was not a fan of his tenure in Brackley. The same pressure will inevitably fall on him should he join Red Bull, and chances are that Bottas might not be up for it. Keeping up with Verstappen is no easy task, and the 10-time GP winner would not be looking for added pressure in the sunset years of his F1 career.
As such, Red Bull has to look at alternative options, with Daniel Ricciardo leading the race. Yuki Tsunoda stands as another option, should he be able to prove he is capable of running as the #2 driver of a team. Several junior drivers, such as Liam Lawson, are also in the running, but until Verstappen is on the grid, none of them might get a shot at the championship.
