Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat is one of the most wanted on the Formula 1 grid, with several drivers having been linked to the position.
The Mexican’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of 2024, although there is every possibility that Red Bull could choose to retain the 33-year-old once again.
However, should his results in the second half of 2023 and in 2024 not meet the Milton Keynes-based team’s expectations, then a new Red Bull driver is likely.
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are two drivers who have expressed their interest in replacing Perez, with the AlphaTauri duo seemingly viewing the situation as a battle between one another for the seat.
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Ex-Red Bull and current Williams driver Alex Albon has reportedly already rejected a return to the Austrians, following his phenomenal form for the Grove-based team.
Even Lewis Hamilton has been linked to Red Bull, although that’s something which will almost certainly never happen given his rivalry with Max Verstappen.
But what about Charles Leclerc?
Leclerc is a driver who has been linked with a few teams, most notably Mercedes, Aston Martin and Audi.
Some have reported that the Monegasque has agreed to a new deal with Ferrari, taking him to the end of 2026.
Supposedly, his deal has the option for an additional three seasons, taking him to the end of 2029.
Despite this, Leclerc has insisted that contract talks haven’t even started, although this could just his way of avoiding attention over his future.
Should he be telling the truth, then why not consider Red Bull, if the Austrians are interested that is.
Leclerc’s current deal also expires at the end of 2024, something which would make a move to Red Bull easier than it would be for the likes of Lando Norris, who has a contract until the end of 2025.
The 25-year-old gets on with Verstappen and is a proven race winner, who has shown at Ferrari this season that he has bags of pace, even in an inconsistent car.
If Leclerc were to move to Red Bull, then it’d undoubtedly form the best driver pairing on the grid, which would also support the Austrians pursuit to remain superior.
An issue would be how the team dynamic would work and whether Verstappen receives priority over Leclerc, something which likely wouldn’t go down well.
Leclerc wouldn’t accept a number two position, with him wanting to fight for the championship.
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Having two drivers in the same team fighting for the title isn’t ideal for any side, given the issues it can cause.
Norris, though, would presumably also want to fight for the championship if he were to fight for Red Bull, suggesting that if Red Bull aren’t wanting to drivers of a similar level, then they should look elsewhere.
If they’re happy for both drivers to pursue the crown though, then why not approach Leclerc?