Formula 1: 5 candidates to drive for Red Bull Racing in 2020
By Asher Fair
Pierre Gasly has been confirmed at Red Bull Racing through the remainder of the 2019 Formula 1 season. But who will get his seat for the 2020 season?
Despite rumors that he may leave Aston Martin Red Bull Racing to drive for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in the 2020 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen appears slated to stay at the Milton Keynes-based team.
Verstappen was believed to have a performance clause in his contract, a three-year contract extension he signed in October of 2017 to drive for Red Bull Racing through the 2020 season, that would allow him to leave the team if they do not give him a car that is capable of winning this year’s championship.
Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko sparked rumors of Verstappen’s potential departure from the team in early April by referencing this performance clause before heating up these rumors again in June, and without going into detail about this performance clause, Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, confirmed that it exists.
But given Red Bull Racing’s uptick in performance that resulted in the 21-year-old Dutchman winning two races in a recent three-race span and the fact that Mercedes have all but confirmed that their decision in regard to who to make Lewis Hamilton’s teammate next year is down to Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon, expect Verstappen to return to the team for the fifth consecutive season next year.
As a result, half of Red Bull Racing’s driver lineup appears to be confirmed for the 2020 season.
That leaves the seat that is currently occupied by Pierre Gasly.
Gasly is in his first season driving for Red Bull Racing after replacing the Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo, but he quickly found himself on the hot seat as a result of his underwhelming performances behind the wheel of one of Formula 1’s best cars.
But both team principal Christian Horner and Marko confirmed that the 23-year-old Frenchman will not be replaced before the 2019 season ends. That said, Horner has made clear that he needs to “get it together”.
When the 2020 season rolls around, will Gasly return to the team, or will he be replaced? Here are five possible candidates to drive for Red Bull Racing next year.