Formula 1: Surprise Sergio Perez replacement emerges if Liam Lawson is not ready

Though RB’s second seat is officially the only unconfirmed seat on the grid for the 2025 Formula 1 season following Sauber's confirmation of Gabriel Bortoleto as Valtteri Bottas' replacement, Sergio Perez is also at high risk of losing his Red Bull seat.

So in reality, half of the Red Bull family of seats still need drivers for 2025, and there are a number of different routes they could take.

Since Liam Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo at RB two months ago, rumors have suggested that the Kiwi driver will replace Perez at Red Bull next season. However, there are some concerns about whether Lawson is ready to move up to Red Bull this soon.

Given the fact that Red Bull have regressed considerably since 2023, the 22-year-old would likely be thrown into a competitive championship battle with Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes.

As a result of their concerns, Red Bull have reportedly begun expanding their search externally, and Franco Colapinto has emerged as a strong candidate for a seat.

Williams and James Vowles are doing their best to find the Argentinian driver a seat for 2025, as he is certainly deserving of one. However, due to the minimal remaining options and their asking price when it comes to breaking his contract, a move to the Red Bull family may not be on the cards.

An unlikely driver change?

To the surprise of many, Carlos Sainz Jr. is reportedly an option for Red Bull if Perez is not retained, Lawson is deemed unready, and Colapinto is deemed too expensive.

After a rough ending to his run with Toro Rosso nearly a decade ago, this would not be the first time Sainz is considered for the top seat. He was supposedly in the running to replace Perez for 2025 a few months ago before Perez's extension was announced.

Though Red Bull claim that Sainz is currently not being considered, the move could quickly gain traction in the coming weeks.

Vowles has already claimed that Williams will not be competitive in 2025, as he hopes that they will be one of the top teams in 2026 when a new era of Formula 1 rules and regulations is due to begin. As a result, they could consider loaning out the Spanish driver to Red Bull for one season to promote Colapinto alongside Alex Albon full-time.

Sainz has proven he is one of the top drivers on the grid with multiple wins this season, and he is the only driver aside from Max Verstappen with wins in each of the last three years (and even the last two). He would easily be an upgrade to the regressing Perez.

This move would benefit all parties involved, as Lawson could take another season to develop at RB, Sainz could stay with a competitive team, and Colapinto could drive full-time in 2025 as he continues his search for a seat in 2026.

Additionally, Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, who would presumably replace Lawson at RB if Lawson were to replace Perez, could continue to develop before moving up to Formula 1.

There are a lot of moving pieces involved here, and the details of such an agreement would take some time to turn into a reality. As unlikely as it may seem, do not be surprised if it takes until the end of the calendar year for a decision to be made.