F1 Rumour: Red Bull Targets Charles Leclerc to Replace Sergio Perez
According to recent reports, Red Bull has been in talks with Charles Leclerc as a possible replacement for Sergio Perez.
This comes after the shocking news that Daniel Ricciardo has replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri with immediate effect. Yesterday's announcement has increased speculation over the future of Perez in the Red Bull team as he continues to be drastically out-performed by his teammate Max Verstappen.
Following the exit of de Vries, Red Bull has reportedly been reconsidering its team composition and strategising its future trajectory. Spearheading this transformation are Christian Horner and Helmut Marko who are considering creating a 'Dream Team' and have allegedly initiated talks to this effect. A second top driver's potential inclusion is on the cards, a notion that has gained traction since Oliver Mintzlaff assumed Red Bull's reins after Dietrich Mateschitz sadly passed away last year.
In Mintzlaff's vision, Red Bull would not merely be a stepping stone in F1 but a destination team, marking a departure from the traditional strategies. And this new vision could have Ferrari's Leclerc playing a crucial role. Preliminary talks have already been held with the Monegasque driver to explore potential future separations with the Maranello-based squad.
While Red Bull's aspirations are set high with plans to seat Leclerc alongside their leading driver, Max Verstappen, Perez's position within the team hangs in the balance.
It is worth noting that nothing has been officially confirmed by either party at the moment in time. However, the departure of de Vries marks the first move in this seasons silly season so expect more driver news in the coming weeks' and months'.