Formula 1: Top candidate to join Max Verstappen, and it's not Liam Lawson

Speculation surrounding Sergio Perez’s future in Formula 1 has existed since the middle of the 2023 season, when his performance started to take a rather big dip.

Heading into 2024, Perez was on the hot seat. Though his season was horrendous, he was somehow handed a contract extension. However, it seems that Red Bull will drop him for 2025 after all, ultimately ending the Mexican driver’s Formula 1 career.

From the start, there were three serious candidates for the Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen next year: Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson. With Ricciardo having been dropped by RB a few months ago, Christian Horner has confirmed that it will come down to Tsunoda and Lawson.

Ever since Lawson took over for Ricciardo at RB, he has reportedly been the favorite for the second Red Bull seat, and that is still true, even though he has been outperformed by his teammate. Tsunoda, statistically, was better than both of his teammates this past season. But there are some concerns about his temperament, among other things.

The best move possible is one that no one is talking about.

First and foremost, making the two angriest drivers on the grid teammates could actually be a recipe for success. Verstappen, despite his anger on the track, has won four world championships in a row. Who is to say the Japanese driver cannot attain a similar level of success in a Red Bull?

Another key aspect to consider is Tsunoda’s participation at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi with Red Bull. The 24-year-old impressed engineers trackside and back at the factory during testing. That has to be taken into consideration as the team finalize their lineup for 2025.

Though Tsunoda is not necessarily favored for the seat, Honda could pressure the team into promoting their Japanese driver. The 2025 season is set to be Honda's final season with Red Bull, and it is the final season on Tsunoda's current Red Bull contract.

Logically, Red Bull should promote Tsunoda because he is more experienced and deserving of the seat, and appeasing Honda ahead of their final year together also makes sense. Though they seem to prefer Lawson, he has not yet run a full season, and a full season for him at RB would massively benefit his development before a potential move to Red Bull.

Tsunoda can depart after next season and can potentially join Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin with a little help from Honda, which have already announced an engine partnership with the team for 2026 and beyond. But that depends on Lance Stroll’s future and whether Lawrence Stroll wants to stop holding the team back by keeping his son in the second car.

In 2026, Red Bull can have Verstappen alongside a fully prepared Lawson, and RB will likely have Isack Hadjar paired with either Pepe Marti or Arvid Lindblad, contingent on next season’s Formula 2 results.