F1 2025 grid: Uncertainty about Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda futures with second Sauber seat obtainable | F1 Information

Simply two seats are formally up for grabs on the 2025 F1 grid after a chaotic driver market was turned on its head when Lewis Hamilton introduced he would be part of Ferrari.

Seven driver adjustments have already been confirmed for subsequent yr however there’s nonetheless uncertainty at Crimson Bull and RB, plus the second Sauber seat for 2025.

The largest curiosity is what Crimson Bull do with Liam Lawson, who has changed Daniel Ricciardo for the ultimate six rounds of this season at RB, starting with america Grand Prix on October 18-20 when the F1 season resumes.

Lawson now has the chance to impress Crimson Bull and make a declare to take over from Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen’s team-mate subsequent season.

Perez, whose Crimson Bull contract expires on the finish of 2025, had a dismal weekend final day out in Singapore, the place he was knocked out in Q2 and completed in tenth, as he did not kick on from his sturdy efficiency in Baku.

The Mexican got here underneath large strain previous to the summer time break relating to his future at Crimson Bull after a poor run of kind, however acquired the backing of workforce principal Christian Horner to maintain his seat for the remainder of 2024.

After the Singapore Grand Prix, Horner mentioned: “We have to have two drivers firing on all cylinders. Checo had an excellent weekend in Baku. He had a troublesome weekend.

“We have to put some weekends collectively the place you possibly can see… McLaren are placing two drivers on the rostrum. It is these large factors that actually make a distinction. We’d like to ensure Checo is as excessive up the sphere as we will get him.”

Might Lawson exchange Perez in 2025?

Lawson doesn’t have a contract for 2025, so has six races to show he deserves the RB seat on a everlasting foundation in 2025, and even earn a promotion to drive alongside Verstappen at Crimson Bull.

He substituted for Ricciardo at 5 race weekends final yr when the Australian broke a metacarpal bone in his hand at Zandvoort.

Lawson was largely spectacular throughout his 2023 cameo, scoring factors in Singapore and in addition twice ending only one place exterior the factors in eleventh.

The 22-year-old has the problem of a Dash weekend in his first occasion again at RB and can also be set to be given a 10-grid place penalty for exceeding the engine restrict, so will begin in direction of the rear of the sphere within the Dash on the Saturday of america Grand Prix.

“Crimson Bull have mentioned brazenly that there are nonetheless query marks over Checo and he wants to seek out his kind,” mentioned Rachel Brookes on the Sky Sports activities F1 Podcast.

“They’ve mentioned he is bought one other yr on his contract, so he is there till the tip of 2025, however they’re that seat.

“Liam is aware of this is not only a seat in Components 1 proper now, that is probably a Crimson Bull seat, so for him the strain should be enormous.

“All of us lauded him when he got here in final yr and did what he did however now he is bought to dwell as much as that once more with the opportunity of a Crimson Bull seat hanging over his head, that is huge strain.

“It is going to be actually fascinating to see how he offers with it as a result of we have been actually impressed with how he handled all the things earlier than, notably impressed once you hear that he knew he did not have the 2024 seat, however he nonetheless went out and carried out. He by no means spoke badly about anybody within the workforce or how he’d been handled.

“We all know that he is bought a improbable head on his shoulders and we all know he is an excellent driver. If he can put all of that collectively, probably he may very well be within the Crimson Bull subsequent yr. So, for him, it is an enormous alternative.”

Is Tsunoda being ignored?

The 5 occasions Lawson and Tsunoda spent as team-mates collectively final yr have been shut, however the New Zealander’s capacity to leap within the automobile and be fast caught loads of consideration.

Tsunoda made his F1 debut in 2021 however has by no means been seen as a severe contender to develop into Verstappen’s team-mate.

RB introduced in June that he would stick with the workforce for 2025, underlining Crimson Bull’s lack of perception to advertise the Japanese driver.

Nevertheless, if he beats Lawson within the final six races this yr and Perez struggles, Tsunoda could have his greatest probability but to step as much as Crimson Bull.

“Yuki has upped his sport since he first drove in F1. He is the completed article now I feel,” mentioned Sky Sports activities’ Anthony Davidson.

“I am undecided it is that simple for anybody to return in and beat Tsunoda. How does he really feel about all of this? He is been ignored each single time.

“These younger drivers are available, whether or not it is Lawson, or Ricciardo comes again as an older skilled driver, Nyck de Vries has a go up in opposition to him as effectively, and Yuki retains beating them each single time. It might probably’t simply be a coincidence.

“Poor outdated Yuki is being ignored right here. Why is not he given the prospect? Why aren’t we listening to about Yuki’s probability to interchange Sergio Perez? Would he do a greater job if he was put into the Crimson Bull?

“He is a feisty driver. I am unable to think about he could be mentally destroyed by Max Verstappen if he completed second to him each single time, or, 10 or 15 seconds down the street. He is a resilient character.”

Who will get the ultimate Sauber seat?

Nico Hulkenberg has already been introduced as a Sauber driver for subsequent yr, so no less than one in all Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu will lose their seat.

Hulkenberg will depart Haas after this season, with the American outfit altering their driver pairing utterly as Esteban Ocon joins from Alpine and British teenager Oliver Bearman makes his full-time F1 debut, so Kevin Magnussen is about to depart the game.

Magnussen just isn’t a contender for the Sauber seat as Bottas, Zhou, Williams driver Franco Colapinto and F2 star Gabriel Bortoleto are the candidates.

Bottas feels he’s driving higher than he did at Mercedes, the place he was Hamilton’s team-mate for 5 seasons, however has not had the automobile to showcase his performances.

The Finn has acknowledged he desires a multi-year deal as Sauber might be taken over by Audi from 2026, when the brand new F1 laws are launched.

Zhou is forward of Bottas within the Drivers’ Championship resulting from a greater highest ending place, with each drivers but to attain factors this yr.

The Chinese language driver brings the advertising issue of being the primary F1 driver from China, which is a giant market within the automobile and motorsport trade.

As for Colapinto, he has shocked many together with his spectacular performances after changing Logan Sargeant final month as he completed eighth in Baku and pushed team-mate Alex Albon shut on pure tempo.

Carlos Sainz will be part of Williams from Ferrari on the finish of this yr, however Argentine driver Colapinto has definitely raised some eyebrows at Sauber.

Reigning F3 champion Bortoleto is main the F2 championship in his rookie season and is without doubt one of the most fun younger skills coming by means of the junior ranks.

Bortoleto, 19 from Brazil, has been a part of the McLaren Driver Growth Programme since 2023 and is a part of Fernando Alonso’s driver administration firm.

“He is an unbelievable expertise and a really humble particular person as effectively, which I feel that is the most important factor that we have to work on,” mentioned Alonso.

“He is a tough employee, other than his expertise, and I feel that is why in Components 3 and Components 2 he had this a lot progress. I feel additionally he is somebody that’s taking issues very critically as effectively, which at that age is rarely a assure.

“He received the championship as a rookie in Components 3, and he is preventing for the championship as a rookie in Components 2, however with out the check of many different rookies. So he is most likely the one rookie on the championship.

“So this was an incredible achievement up to now. And let’s examine what the longer term brings. However, you already know, it is a matter of time that he will get to F1.”

Simply six races stay in Components 1 2024 and the season resumes with america Grand Prix in Austin from October 18-20, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime