Hadjar, Not Colapinto, Eyeing 2025 RB Race Seat

Isack Hadjar is more likely than Franco Colapinto to be promoted onto the Formula 1 grid by Red Bull, team boss Christian Horner insists.

It is quite clear that Sergio Perez’s future at the senior Red Bull Racing team is once again under a very dark cloud, with shareholders to determine his fate after an assessment meeting on the day after the Abu Dhabi finale.

Liam Lawson appears to be the favourite to replace him, to the ongoing frustration of his much longer-serving RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

When asked, yet again, why he seems to be overlooked for a promotion, the Japanese joked to DAZN after the Qatar GP: “Maybe I need to create a video for social media.

“Climb up to a high place, drink a Red Bull and prove that the drink really gives me wings. Jump from the second floor and land perfectly,” he laughed.

“I need that – more marketing.”

Another recent contender for Perez’s seat was the Williams-contracted rookie Franco Colapinto. But those talks appear to have now broken down.

“He is certainly a talent looking to earn his permanent place in Formula 1,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said. “But we have a great talent pool within the Red Bull junior team and I am sure Franco will find his place on the grid in the future.

“You always have to keep an eye on the market, but we have strength and depth in our junior program,” he insisted.

In the event that Lawson is promoted to become Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2025, Horner suggested that next in line for a race seat at RB is Isack Hadjar.

“It’s good to see Isack doing a good job in Formula 2,” Horner said. “I think there’s half a point gap between the drivers going into the last race in Abu Dhabi. Liam and Yuki were very close in Qatar in terms of pace, so we have a full team of drivers.”

As well as fighting for the F2 title, Hadjar, a French-Algerian 20-year-old, will drive Verstappen’s car in Friday free practice in Abu Dhabi. French magazine Auto Hebdo says he is the favourite to be paired with Tsunoda at RB next year, which is “information that we are able to confirm”.

All eyes will still be on Abu Dhabi next week, as Red Bull meets to decide its 2025 driver lineups, and then the post-season test begins.

“I’ll skip that,” smiled quadruple world champion Verstappen. “I wish them all the best of luck. But I’m not even going to watch.”