Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto and IMAGO / ABACAPRESS

Red Bull might have a vacancy on their team next year with Sergio Perez’s current deal set to expire at the end of the season. With Perez still not able to match up to his three-time world champion teammate Max Verstappen, a reputed German source has claimed that Christian Horner is eager to see Fernando Alonso drive for his side from next year onwards.

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On the BBC’s F1: Chequered Flag podcast, former Renault driver Jolyon Palmer revealed that veteran German F1 journalist Michael Schmidt believes that Alonso could be a Red Bull driver next year. “He [Schmidt] thinks that Christian Horner wants Fernando Alonso in that car next year”, revealed Palmer.

The hosts on the show theorized how Alonso most likely would be able to extract the maximum out of the car at Milton-Keynes, at least more than what Sergio Perez has been able to do in all the years that he’s been with them. Red Bull perhaps would be considering an “upgrade” for next year after what transpired at the Australian GP.

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With Max Verstappen out, Sergio Perez’s gap to the front runners was exposed with calls of sacking him being made immediately in the race’s aftermath. That being said, Alonso isn’t the only driver on Red Bulls’ shortlist. Red Bull has several options to choose from, with the contracts of several drivers expiring at the end of this year.

Who are the candidates for the second Red Bull seat in 2025?

As things stand, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, and Yuki Tsunoda are all in the mix for Sergio Perez’s seat next year. But things can change very quickly at the team, with star driver Max Verstappen’s future also up in the air owing to recent events.

If the Dutchman does choose to leave the team, this could throw the entire system at Red Bull into a frenzy. The #1 driver is rumored to be on Mercedes’ watchlist who want to capitalize on the rumored unrest within Red Bull. The Silver Arrows reportedly want to poach the 26-year-old as a replacement for the outgoing Lewis Hamilton.

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Ever since the Christian Horner saga came to light, rumors have suggested an internal power struggle between Horner, Helmut Marko, and the Verstappens. With the Thai majority of the company reportedly in Horner’s favor, Max could potentially decide to leave the team.

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However, rumors of a potential exit for Max Verstappen have recently subsided. This may mean that the team will once again begin to focus on Perez’s performances and scrutinize him for the rest of the 2024 season.