Red Bull Racing has dominated Formula 1 for the past two seasons, winning the Constructors' championship both times and securing this year's honor with six races left in the season.
Despite their immense success this year, Mexican driver Sergio Perez has recently struggled with the team's highly dominant RB19 car.
After notching a pair of victories early in the season at Jeddah and Baku, Perez has only managed to pick up 5 points in the last three races in Singapore, Japan, and Qatar.
A bombshell rumor emerged on Reddit that Perez could announce his retirement from Formula 1 soon, specifically during the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix weekend, October 27 to 29, despite being on contract until 2024.
A former employee of one of Perez's sponsors, Escudería Telmex, apparently leaked the info, saying that Red Bull informed the driver of their decision to pull him from the seat next year during the week of the Japanese Grand Prix.
There are rumors about Checo announcing his retirement at the Mexican GP👀 pic.twitter.com/LL3372OCZL
— Stefanie (@fastpitstop) October 12, 2023
The rumor also revealed that the Guadalajara native is short of options for next season, as the majority of the seats are already taken, and he has decided to prioritize his family. Perez has four children under five years old.
Despite his recent difficulties, Perez remains second in the current driver's standings, but Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton is slowly catching up with five Grand Prix weekends remaining.
It is no secret that the motorsport division of Red Bull houses many talented drivers that could fill the gap that the six-time race winner will leave if the rumors ever come to fruition.
With that in mind, here are the top candidates to replace Sergio Perez if he ever retires from the sport.
Read more: Red Bull Star Max Verstappen Admits Several Arguments With Dad Jos on How to Approach F1 Career
1. Daniel Ricciardo
The 34-year-old Australian is proven and tested, having spent time racing with the team from 2014 to 2018.
Ricciardo returned to F1 with Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri after Nyck De Vries was sacked, spending the beginning of the year as a reserve driver behind Verstappen and Perez.
Red Bull engineers were reportedly impressed with his performance during a tire test last July.
However, his return was cut short following a hand injury during the Dutch Grand Prix, which has kept him out of action since.
The team may not have gathered enough data to be convinced that Ricciardo is the right man to partner with Verstappen.
2. Liam Lawson
The 21-year-old unexpectedly made his F1 debut after Ricciardo had to be sidelined, and he has since delivered well for AlphaTauri despite driving one of the worst cars on the grid this year.
Lawson bagged the team's highest finish this year at the Singapore Grand Prix last month, finishing 9th place in only his third F1 race.
The Australian driver might be ready for a full-time F1 seat next season.
3. Yuki Tsunoda
The Japanese sensation has been a part of AlphaTauri since the 2021 season, and he has now gained a considerable amount of F1 experience that could warrant a promotion to the main team.
The 23-year-old has scored thrice this season despite a terrible car, which is a remarkable feat and an indication of his raw talent behind the wheel.
Red Bull's engine partner, Honda, would also be delighted with the position of their countryman driving for the flagship team.
Related Article: Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner Issues Warning to Sergio Perez Amid Poor Run of Results
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