Red Bull told to sign F1 star with “huge potential” to challenge Max Verstappen
Red Bull told to sign F1 star with “huge potential” to challenge Max Verstappen
This year’s Formula 1 World Championship was easily won by Max Verstappen over underperforming teammate Sergio Perez, who is expected to quit Red Bull and be replaced by a young talent.
Former Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell has advised Red Bull to think about bringing in Oscar Piastri, a McLaren star, for the upcoming season in order to battle Max Verstappen.
When the 2023 campaign comes to a close on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Piastri is almost guaranteed to finish ninth. The 22-year-old will likely finish second to teammate Lando Norris, who may finish as high as fourth. Australian sensation Piastri, whose current teammate is Sergio Perez, has been tipped by Blundell to challenge three-time world champion Verstappen in the future.
Even while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner exclusively told Mirror Sport last month that he is “confident” Perez can find his form again, Perez has had a challenging end to the season, casting question on his future with the team. Although Blundell, a former driver for McLaren, believes that 33-year-old Perez is a “outstanding talent,” he has suggested Piastri as a potential replacement.
“There are two ways of looking at it – you can bring in an older, experienced driver who knows what to do and has the depth of knowledge both in and outside of the car,” the British national told OLBG. That will strengthen the group’s unity and propel them ahead. But it’s crucial to consider if those drivers still possess that elusive millisecond in them and if they’re prepared to put everything on the line going into Turn One..
“If you take that approach, you might be persuaded to add a younger driver, like as Oscar Piastri, who has the potential to follow in Max Verstappen’s footsteps. He seems like he has a lot of promise, and perhaps he can push Max. But Verstappen is unique, and I don’t see anyone else being able to shake the tree and push him off his perch.”
Piastri, however, may prove difficult to steal for Red Bull as he inked a new three-year contract deal with McLaren in September, tying him to the team until the end of 2025. After hearing the news on Sky Sports, F1 commentator Karun Chandhok said that team executives had made a “blinder.”
We’re in a bit of a pause till we see what happens for next year, which makes me think this is a pretty intriguing period in the driver market,” Chandhok said. “I think Oscar has shown to be a little star, hasn’t he? McLaren and [McLaren CEO] Zak [Brown] played a blinder by tying him down since they got Lando for the next two years.
“They have driving stability and, in fact, they’re now in a strong negotiation position since Oscar is past the two-year contract that Lando was previously bound to. With everything, the upcoming couple of seasons will be enjoyable.”
