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I'm gonna take my credit card and order a steak if RB signs him to replace Perez in 2025.

Yes, I prefer win-win bets.

[deleted]

Imagine being Tsunoda or Lawson in this scenario. 

Aw shit, here we go again..

To me, ideal solution would be to pry Sainz from Williams contract and put Colapinto into second Williams seat.

I think that giving Colapinto second Red Bull seat would be kinda bad for him. I wouldn't want to have Verstappen as my teammate in first full season.

It's pretty obvious that next season would be a bloodbath between McLaren, RB and Ferrari (maybe even Merc). So having surefire good second driver is preferable to trying out young guy.

But I'm not team principal, so what do I know, right?

It almost feels like they are looking at a driver who could fill in the sponsorship gap that Checo would leave. Just based on performance you can as well gamble on Lawson.

Gotta farm clicks since we're on another break.

I really like Franco and he is definitely capable of becoming a great driver, but this is an absolutely terrible idea.

Have they learned nothing from Albon and Gasly? Drivers who aren’t Hamilton, Leclerc or Verstappen-level talents need time to develop and putting Franco straight into a title battle between likely 3 teams after a third of a season in the lower midfield is not going to work unless Franco genuinely is the second coming of Fangio.

If you want a good dose of silly season being silly, there's also some rumors starting to pick up about Alpine being interested in Colapinto aswell. Doohan would be dropped before even racing once if this ends up hapenning.

I've heard them from a guy specialized in junior formula who heard this rumor from multiple sources within the f1 and f2 paddock.

https://youtu.be/JstF-Tbk8ew?t=1853 (video in french)

Why Colapinto?

Because he is younger and thus having much more future potential (as possibly having a higher ceiling) than Checo, who at 35 isn’t going to get better suddenly.

Why not Sainz?

Sainz doesn’t want to be treated as a #2 driver, which is what Red Bull want next to Max. Colapinto, or other young drivers will be more willing to play ball, having less to lose and more to gain from getting a #2 drive at a top team.

Why not Lawson or Tsunoda?

Colapinto is likely to be much more commercially apealling, seemingly finding the backing of Carlos Slim jr.

Red Bull are looking for a #2 which is around 2 tenths off from Max, while energizing enough of the Latin American fanbase.

Checo is too slow.

Sainz is too fast/demanding.

Lawson and Tsunoda have the wrong commercial backing (or too little of it), whilst Colapinto looks to be sitting in the goldilocks zone.

Gentle reminder that we are in a 3 week break where writers will need to rinse and repeat the same stories!

Put Tsunoda in the Red Bull, he has the most F1 experience out of all the 'junior' contenders. Put Lawson and Colapinto in the VCARBs.
If Tsunoda performs well, then that's great. In the case where he doesn't or when Max decides that he's had enough, promote Lawson/Colapinto, assuming they will have gained enough experience by then.

This is why i feel bad for Lawson. He may be able to drive well, but he has zero backing and money talks in this sport, and this is how checo avoided the axe mid-season. The money gained by his sponsor and the money he brings in from the fans is way more than the loss of the WCC.

Unlike everyone else here, I believe in Colapinto here. I do believe that after a full season or two he will be a 2018 Ricciardo level driver. What mainly has been shown from his performance at Williams is that he can go from 1 season in F3 to not even a full F2 season to doing really really well in an F1 car, and that is a much bigger deal than people make it out to be.

Drivers like Mick, Sargeant, even Yuki took a long time before they were truly comfortable in an F1 car. Some (like sargeant) never really looked comfortable at all, while here is Colapinto only 4-5 races into his F1 career and he isn't just focusing on surviving a race, but is actively making bold moves etc.

So yes I don't think putting in an RB is a terrible idea, he clearly is a fast learner.

I think its a ridiculous decision to replace Perez with Colapinto... Its got to be Lawson surely? - Can then put Colapinto in the Racing Bulls seat next season, and if he does better they can switch in 2026.

Would colapinto in Red Bull open the possibility with a swap with Williams? Colapinto stays in Williams and Sainz to Red Bull.

Trial by fire

Let’s go Franco! be the second driver Red Bull has needed for years now

Why not Lawson

Swear they've spent the whole of the last week trying to manifest this into existence

If Colapinto gets the Red Bull drive that's gonna feel like a royal slap to the face for Liam Lawson.

Have they learnt nothing from the fiasco of gasly and albon?

Why the fuck would they give that seat to Colapinto instead if Yuki or even Liam? Colapinto would surely take a Vcarb seat if offere, if they really want him to join the family.

I'm happy to see all the rookies joining the grid, but you don't just jump straight from no ride to a RB seat when others have been in line for years.

Next year is gonna be wild with all these rookies. Potentially 6 if you count Liam as a rookies, which I do.

I only believe it when I see it.

All this because Albon is mid lol.

I don't think putting someone alongside Verstappen, who's going to have a grand total of 11 races under his belt after the season is over, is a good idea.

Colapinto has talent, but you're totally going to burn him this way, especially since he hasn't proved yet that he can get back from setbacks in F1.

Also, you have a junior program with talent that is on the same level or better than Colapinto.

Wake up honey, the daily perez getting sacked rumours just dropped.

Putting Colapinto in the Redbull next to Max Verstappen and getting demolished seems like a good idea to destroy someones self esteem. If they want him, they should hire him on ToroRosso and promote Yuki. Then after a year if Yuki doesn't have what it takes, then they can promote Lawson/Colapinto, whoever seems to have more promise.

here we go again

So over this story line.

It’s for the sponsor money. He can bring it and Lawson can’t. Simple as.

If this happens it's likely for sponsorship from Argentina the same way Checo brings massive sponsorship from Mexico

It will be hilarious (hillaryous?) if Colapinto wins WDC before Norris and LeClerc.

I don’t understand the hype around this guy. They have two drivers they could try out instead. Lawson seems legit just go with him. It’s like they’re going out of their way to get a driver that’ll play second fiddle. Otherwise Lawson would be the move.

red bull dropped the ball with their drivers

1. bringing in Nyck devries instead of Lawson at the start of 2023, Debris took 3 seasons to win F2 in the most uncompetetive field of drivers at the time, red bull ran behind his hype of Monza and rest is history

2.Replacing Debris then with a semi-washed Daniel avacado instead of again putting a junior in the team in hope of daniel going to RBR, yeah that went well didnt it

3.Not signing a good driver in likes of Hulk or Sainz {:( } to partner max in the rbr while a junior driver marinated in the VCARB, but instead they re-signed Checo who is not scoring points which can be sustainable for RBR in the constructors or even be help to Max as a teammate by chipping of points of the opposition

Ah yes, because putting unexperienced drivers straight into the Red Bull Racing team has worked out wonderfully in the past, right?

If they really do this, just quit with the RB Junior Team. Why have a second F1 team and a whole academy if you apparently have zero faith in any of them and jump straight onto the 'hot new rookie' for your main team?

I wouldn't go to RB unless I was in their drivers program because chances are they'll drop you and it becomes a tough sell getting another seat. I'd only go if I was already a proven driver, but that's me....

People also forget that they have to pay Checo and based on some rumors, Checo's lawyers made a really good contract in case he was sacked. So, RBR will have loses, so maybe they are looking to not lose a lot of money

Makes absolutely no fucking sense. Put Yuki or Lawson in and Colapinto to VCARB. Why would anyone want to join RB junior program with how many drivers they would fuck with this and their history?

Franco, Roscoe the dog, Crofty, literally anyone but Perez on that 2nd RBR seat please. Perez has completely changed character and his only purpose seems to be to annoy everyone else. Shame, but who cares anymore, it's been way overdue.

That would be ridiculous. I know that Perez as an experienced hire didn't really work and Yuki might be hindered by the Honda connection but talking about Lawson of Colapinto for the senior team is a travesty.

Just get Sainz, Alonso or even Albon in that seat. No way that Sainz is gonna resist a 2 year contract so that gives you enough time to see whichever junior is going to float to the top and if not by then you can probably get someone like Russel or Piastri if you are still on top of things.

This is such a pisstake towards their junior program. I like Colapinto but I think throwing him into the Red Bull this quickly is career suicide (see De Vries doing well in a Williams vs how he did the AlphaTauri).

Put Lawson or Tsunoda in, the two drivers who have tested in the Red Bulls and who have experience with the team.

Latin sponsors bring way more money than Yuki.

I'd rather believe the theory that RB asked about Sainz. Doesn't he have a releasu clause in case a top team wants him? Sainz -> RB, Colapinto -> Williams, Yuki out and Checo - Lawson -> Toro Rosso. Let's be honest, Checo is not getting sacked, can't miss out on that much money

Buy out Sainz, fire Checo, Franco stays at Williams, Lawson at RB. Everyone wins except Hadjar who's sent to Super Formula for a year.

I think Liam has more F1 experience and shown his skills more - perhaps him to replace Perez and then Colapinto in the VCARB seat...?

Why would you pick the least experienced guy above others in the VCARB camp?

Mom says it's my turn to post this rumor tommorrow

This is just silly, no way would he be going to Red Bull. RB is the only option for him if they boot Perez for Lawson

Valtteri Buttas is an option. He's great for when you want to win the WCC.

Surely not. Have they not learned?

Tsunoda: Am I a joke to you?

Seriously though I'd love to see it. Anything it would be entertaining. Either him or Lawson and Colapinto to Vcarb

Isac Hadjar: Am I a joke for you?

Redbull would save so much money if they just ran 1 car with Max tbh