Helmut Marko sees Norris as a serious candidate for Pérez’s seat

With a contract that ends in late 2024, Sergio Perez knows that he is probably living his last months at Red Bull. Far from the performances of Max Verstappen and no longer truly supported by his team, the Mexican driver should therefore not be surprised by Helmut Marko’s comments on future Red Bull drivers.

In an interview for Austrian television, the team’s sports advisor and former driver made it clear that Pérez clearly did not fit into Milton Keynes’ future plans.

« Pérez is not consistent and is not always focused, like Verstappen or Vettel can be. He is already over 30 years old and is expecting his fourth child. So he also has other interests, so we’ll have to see what happens next. »

Red Bull would go shopping at McLaren

And the next one might very well be called Lando Norris. The British driver, with McLaren since his debut in F1 in 2019, is highly regarded in the paddock and Marko can see him evolving alongside Verstappen in the near future.

« Norris is definitely a candidate. At Toro Rosso, we had already reached an agreement with him at the time, until his manager realized that there was an option for a contract with McLaren. In terms of youth and speed, he would be a great fit for us. »

Norris is under contract with McLaren until the end of 2025. If Red Bull were to part ways with Pérez by the end of 2024, the Austrian team would then be obligated to pay a significant amount of money to McLaren to buy out the last year of the British driver’s contract. While the 2023 season is not yet over, rumors are already starting about the most coveted seat on the grid!