Formula 1: Red Bull Racing confirm 2020 drivers

Red Bull Racing have confirmed their driver lineup for the 2020 Formula 1 season, although there remains speculation about which drivers will be with which teams.

Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko has confirmed that the four drivers currently within the Red Bull organization will remain in the Red Bull organization in the 2020 Formula 1 season and that they all already have contracts to do so.

This confirms previous statements by the team that none of the drivers outside of the organization were under consideration for a seat, most notably Nico Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg was linked to a seat at Red Bull Racing earlier this season, and that speculation heated up when speculation began that Esteban Ocon would replace him at Renault next year. Ocon is set to replace him, but he is still without a ride and, as speculated, not in contention to land a ride within Red Bull.

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Marko did state that while the organization’s driver lineup is set for next year, there are still three seats that are up for grabs within the organization itself.

The only driver locked into his ride for next year is Max Verstappen, who is set to return to the Red Bull Racing senior team for the fifth consecutive season and fourth straight full season.

The other three drivers, rookie Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat, are all still in the running to land alongside Verstappen next year. The other two are slated to be teammates at Scuderia Toro Rosso (Scuderia Alpha Tauri from 2020), effectively the Red Bull Racing junior team.

This is the case despite the fact that Marko indicated Kvyat was already set to drive for Alpha Tauri next year and thus out of the running to land at Red Bull Racing. He later clarified that he meant Kvyat is simply set to remain within the Red Bull organization.

Here is what Marko had to say about each of these drivers being under contract within the organization next year, according to GPToday.

"“No, we are considering only our three drivers. We have always said that. All of those drivers have contracts with Red Bull which stipulate that we are free to decide where they go.”"

Albon currently drives for Red Bull Racing after replacing the struggling Gasly 12 races into the 21-race 2019 season. Gasly was demoted back to Toro Rosso, where he replaced Kvyat late in the 2017 season and spent the entire 2018 season.

After driving for Toro Rosso in the 2014 season, Kvyat drove for Red Bull Racing in the 2015 season and in part of the 2016 season before he was demoted back to Toro Rosso in favor of Verstappen. He drove for Toro Rosso throughout the remainder of the 2016 season and then late into the 2017 season before he was replaced by Gasly. He only returned to Formula 1 this year.

Will it be Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly or Daniil Kvyat driving alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing in the 2020 Formula 1 season? Regardless, the other two are still set to remain within the organization at Alpha Tauri.