'A very good move' - Red Bull told to replace Perez with leftfield driver choice
That is the suggestion of F1 pundit and former team manager Peter Windsor, who believes Bottas could be the ideal partner for Verstappen at Red Bull.
While Perez is set to continue alongside Verstappen at Red Bull in 2024, the Mexican’s position at the team has come under intense scrutiny amid his struggles to match his teammate this season.
Speaking on his latest YouTube video, Windsor considered which drivers would be the best fit for Red Bull.
“Maybe Perez now you could say, after getting beaten by Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin around Brazil, maybe the time has come to think about getting somebody who’s a bit more adaptable and a bit more of a racer in all conditions than Sergio Perez,” Windsor said.
“Probably not in terms of pace. Because you don’t want a George Russell in there, you don’t want an Oscar Piastri in there, stirring things up. And so who else would I put in that second seat?
“I think Carlos Sainz would be a good number two to Max at Red Bull.
“I’d like to say Mick Schumacher. I don’t know if he’s been out of it so long it’d be difficult for him to even be as quick as Perez has been on occasions [at] places like Baku, Monaco. I think it’d probably be too big an ask for him.
“Liam Lawson maybe? But I’m not sure Red Bull want to go that route, do they? They don’t want to have a young guy that they’ve got to train up still. I know he’s done a few races, but their whole image is that we have these seasoned grand prix drivers and Perez has been around a long time.
“Nico Hulkenberg would probably do a very good job in the other car, I think.
“Daniel Ricciardo would do a great job, should never have left the team in the first place, the perfect complement to Max. I won’t say number two.”
Windsor went on to suggest that Bottas, who played a supporting role to Lewis Hamilton for five years at Mercedes, might be the perfect fit.
“Valtteri Bottas would be another guy who I think would do a good job in that second Red Bull,” he explained.
“He’s the sort of guy that Red Bull would hire actually because he’s got a good pedigree, he’s a bit quieter than Perez.
“He’s not by no means in the same class as Max or Lewis or Charles [Leclerc], but he’s not bad. Better than Perez, I think. If you’re going to look at anybody, Bottas would be the guy.
“It would be worth making an offer to Bottas, because I can’t imagine he imagines he’s going to be in Audi’s future, I’m sure he’s not. So just a nice two-year deal for Bottas would be a very good move."
