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The 2024 F1 season is going to be very interesting on track if teams can catch up with Red Bull. Having said that, there's one more facet of next season that everyone will be keeping a keen eye on. With the contracts of more than 10 drivers expiring next year, there is plenty of intrigue about what their future will be.
Should we end up with wholesale changes within teams? It is entirely possible with so many contracts expiring at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Having said that, in this feature, we are concentrating on the drivers who have a sword hanging over their heads and they have to perform to keep their seats.
Who are these drivers? Let's take a look.
#1 Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
Sergio Perez has spent the 2023 F1 season looking over his shoulder as his performances have seemingly suffered due to a lack of adaptability of the Red Bull.
While Perez did end up securing his seat for the 2024 F1 season, in no way does this mean his future is safe. On the contrary, there are reports of Red Bull keeping a close eye on how the Mexican performs and if he doesn't do well, the team might line up a replacement.
Perez enters the 2024 F1 season knowing that he needs to perform to keep his seat. It will be interesting to see how he accomplishes that.
#2 Guanyu Zhou (Sauber F1)
Many questioned the decision to keep a hold of Guanyu Zhou by a team that would have increased ownership from Audi.
Zhou has been a steady presence in the paddock over the last two years but at the same time, it is not a choice that inspires too many people. He's not a driver who has shown potential to be a world champion one day and in all fairness, if he's continuously losing to an aging Valtteri Bottas then that's not a good sign.
All in all, Zhou needs to show something special if he wants to keep a hold of his seat at Sauber beyond 2024.
#3 Logan Sargeant (Williams)
It's well documented that Logan Sargeant's seat was a bone of contention for Williams and the team wasn't entirely sure about whether it wanted to give the American an extension. Well, the team has.
On the other hand, Sargeant will already be aware that this doesn't mean things get easier in 2024. On the contrary, things get tougher because if he doesn't perform next season then there are certainly options for Williams with which that seat can be filled.
Sargeant certainly has the potential to do much better than he has shown until now it all depends on how he fares next season against Alex Albon.
#4 Valtteri Bottas (Sauber F1)
Valtteri Bottas' off-track has been a revelation in the last couple of years. Away from the stress of driving at the front for Mercedes, a new and fresh side of Bottas has come to the front (not to forget, the calendar that went on sale recently). In all of this though, his driving has been underwhelming.
He was picked by Sauber to produce results that the car is capable of. However, while the car has regressed as well, Bottas has not latched on to many opportunities.
As an experienced F1 driver, Bottas should be contributing more. And with his contract coming to an end next season, he'll need something to show to the team that supplements the trust that the team has in him.
#5 Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri)
While the focus has been on Sergio Perez to make sure he makes improvements, one can't deny that Daniel Ricciardo is arguably in the most important session of his career.
He has to perform in the 2024 F1 season and prove to Red Bull that he can be a contender with the main team. If he doesn't, one has to assume how much motivation he will have to continue driving a car that's probably never going to challenge at the front of the grid.
The 2024 F1 season is crucial for Ricciardo and he will be hoping to make the most of it.
