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As we get closer to the 2023 F1 season, there is anticipation over what will happen at Red Bull with both Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo contending for the second seat. The Mexican's contract expires at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Even last year, there were rumors that Perez might end up losing his seat. Fortunately for him, that didn't happen, even though his performances didn't see a massive uptick. The 2024 F1 season is tipped to be the one where the battle for the second seat is renewed. The two contenders who appear to be fighting for the seat are Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez.
There is, however, one question that remains unanswered at the moment. What if both Daniel and Sergio end up having a bad season? What would happen in that case? Would Red Bull be willing to continue and trust either of the two with that second seat? Perhaps not.
The team, in that case, could look at other drivers to evaluate who could fit the role. Here, let's take a look at the drivers who might end up being contenders for the Red Bull seat if both Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo fail to impress in 2024.
Contenders for second Red Bull seat if Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez fail in 2024
#1 Alex Albon
Alex Albon's stock in F1 has never been higher. The driver has established himself as the lead Williams driver in the last two seasons and there have been rumors of multiple teams approaching the driver as well.
If both Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez aren't able to show Red Bull that they can do the job well, and at the same time Albon puts together another impressive season in 2024, it won't be a surprise if the Thai-British driver ends up at Red Bull. The team loved having him around during his first stint and his potential return may not be as big a stretch as many think it may be.
#2 Carlos Sainz
Ever since Carlos Sainz left Torro Rosso to move to Renault, he's clawed his way to a top team like Ferrari. What's even more impressive is that he's not looked out of place at the team. The Spaniard has impressed everyone and should be an able second driver alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
However, for some reason, Ferrari is not interested in extending his contract for the long term while Charles Leclerc is rumored to get a major upgrade in terms of pay. If the deal is not reached between the Spaniard and the Italian team, we could be looking at a scenario where Sainz becomes an option for Red Bull. If Ricciardo and Perez fail to show up in 2024, then there could be a chance that Sainz makes a return to the brand that gave him his first break in F1.
#3 Nico Hulkenberg
This might be a left-field choice in the eyes of many, especially with Nico Hulkenberg's age surely proving to be a major limiting factor, but the 36-year-old German showed impressive form last season. He was dominant against Kevin Magnussen and if not for the woefully poor race pace of Haas, he might have put together some impressive results.
To add to this, in case the other options are not available, Nico could be used as the stop-gap option for a year as Red Bull charts its plans on who would be Max Verstappen's teammate in the event that both Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo don't live up to expectations.
