Red Bull in talks with Franco Colapinto as the team plans for a future beyond Sergio Perez: Reports

Red Bull has had tentative preliminary contact with Williams driver Franco Colapinto as the team looks to build a future beyond Sergio Perez. The Austrian team is currently going through a very tricky period where there is a lack of clarity of how it wants to proceed with its driver line-up.

The senior team has both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez on long-term contracts, but it does appear that the future of both those drivers is far from clear. On one side, Verstappen's father Jos has been quite public in his disdain of Christian Horner, and that particular relationship appears to be slightly frosty. On the other hand, Perez himself has performed poorly for a while now.

It appears that Sergio Perez's succession plan is being prepared with young talents like Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto, who are the ones Red Bull is looking to promote.

According to The Race, it is being reported that Williams driver Colapinto has already been contacted, and there have been preliminary discussions between the two parties. The young Argentinian has impressed everyone with his debut this season and doesn't have a drive for 2025. As reported by The Race on its YouTube channel, journalist Edd Straw said:

“It’s clear that Perez couldn’t have matched Verstappen in Austin given the spec difference but Red Bull still wants to see more from him. That means his position is precarious. Perez could still be at Red Bull next year, or maybe out of F1 altogether."

He added:

“Tsunoda has a long shot at promotion but will likely be at RB, while Lawson has made a strong start to his push for promotion. And if Lawson is promoted, what happens with the vacant RB seat? Isack Hadjar, currently second in F2, is the obvious next cab off the rank of Red Bull but it’s understood that there has been tentative preliminary contact with Williams driver Franco Colapinto in case it wants to bring him into the fold.”

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Red Bull's Christian Horner wants better performance from Sergio Perez

Christian Horner had also acknowledged in Austin that Sergio Perez had to show better form on the track. The Austrian team looks destined to finish third in the championship unless the Mexican starts performing, especially compared to the line-up at McLaren and Ferrari, where both drivers contribute.

Talking to the media, including Sportskeeda, Horner said:

“Ferrari, congratulations to them. They’ve been very, very strong, and they've got two drivers competing at the front. McLaren, likewise, their drivers, there's not a big deficit between them. That’s where we really need for the Constructors to have Checo come into play.”

Sergio Perez had signed a 2-year extension with Red Bull earlier this season. It does appear, however, that there are performance clauses in that deal which might work against him if the team wants to replace him.