Albon gone - Checo IN!

[bathurst77]

https://www.news.com.au/sport/motors...4b5de79544875b/URL]

Reports that Redbull have made the big decision and swung the axe

[skycafe]

Checo

[Adam43]

Choco.

Great news. I’m pleased for him, be great to see him with a chance to get off the “one hit wonders” list

It wasn’t the greatest injustice in the world that he didn’t have a drive though. Obviously useful for the standard “and they say F1 is the best 20 drivers in the world, as if” trope.

In a good team he’s a good choice as your backup driver. Grabs those points and maybe a handful of podiums and you never know another top step.

[steve_r]

Good news if true. No offical quotes in the quite strangely written article , so lets wait and see.

[S griffin]

Looks like it make be a case of when not if. So good to have Checo back if this is the case. No offence to Albon, but Perez will help RBR no end

[Aysedasi]

A 'brutal' decision? Hardly. What a ridiculously emotively written article.... You'd think the writer had never been involved in F1 before.....

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

A 'brutal' decision? Hardly. What a ridiculously emotively written article.... You'd think the writer had never been involved in F1 before.....

Not much "brutal" about it: a driver that only scores 2 podiums in 26 races for a top team must know that is not the performace the team wants

[Moneyseeker]

Now confirmed - story on Autosport.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/15...-bull-for-2021

[Akrapovic]

Glad Perez got the seat. I'm unsure he has the ability to take it to Max on pure speed though. But it is absolutely the right call for Red Bull.

Funny isn't it - Vettel was sacked from Ferrari and ended up falling into a promotion, replacing Perez. Who has now arguably fallen into a promotion.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Funny isn't it - Vettel was sacked from Ferrari and ended up falling into a promotion, replacing Perez. Who has now arguably fallen into a promotion.

The circle of life!

The funny part is also that Vettel is the worse team mate to have...rather he is the driver more likely to be invovled in a collision with his own team mate.

I feel bad for Stroll!

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

The circle of life!

The funny part is also that Vettel is the worse team mate to have...rather he is the driver more likely to be invovled in a collision with his own team mate.

I feel bad for Stroll!

To be fair, Vettel seems to only do that when the car is good and the team mate is on the same pace. We don't really know if either factor will be there next year. In 2020 Vettel was rarely in the same post code as Leclerc so that was never going to be a big issue, and the stakes were low anyway. Maybe Vettel gets his act together and doesn't get challenged by Stroll, or falls apart even more and Stroll becomes the team leader. Honestly, if I was Aston Martin, I'd have neither driver in the car. I'd keep Perez and get a young hot shoe like Russel in or even Ilot. Instead they chose nepotism and star power.

I'd say Red Bull situation will be more tense, if Perez gets all he needs to get the most of the car. It would be Ricciardo vs Verstappen all over again. Except Perez is not mr. Smiley when things get heated. Remember his ongoing tension with Ocon? And that's with Ocon, who seems like a genuinely nice guy. In the same kind of situation Verstappen will just be his usual rude self, who never admits to ever being wrong. So I can totally imagine some red mist floating between the two.

Either way I don't see Red Bull challenge for victories in 2021. Don't be fooled by the Abu Dhabi performance. Mercs will be miles ahead come spring.

[littleman]

Pleased for Perez, very disappointed for Albon, although I must say Red Bull gave him every chance to prove himself.

Personally,I would've put Gasly back in the seat. I think the kid has learnt a really tough "life lesson" and in 2020 demonstrated he's made of the "right stuff".

Where does he fit now in the Red Bull driver programme? What's the point of another year at Alpha Tauri, he can't improve on this year with that team.

Red Bull need someone to run Verstappen close, otherwise they could end up like the Honda MotoGP team without Marquez.....Too many eggs in one basket.

[AndreasDavour]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

I'd say Red Bull situation will be more tense, if Perez gets all he needs to get the most of the car. It would be Ricciardo vs Verstappen all over again. Except Perez is not mr. Smiley when things get heated. Remember his ongoing tension with Ocon? And that's with Ocon, who seems like a genuinely nice guy. In the same kind of situation Verstappen will just be his usual rude self, who never admits to ever being wrong. So I can totally imagine some red mist floating between the two.

Either way I don't see Red Bull challenge for victories in 2021. Don't be fooled by the Abu Dhabi performance. Mercs will be miles ahead come spring.

I am pretty sure you will be correct on both points. The first point could get interesting, the latter sadly not.

[S griffin]

So it’s all settled now then. This is great for Checo and should also be good for Red Bull having two race winners in the seat, means they now should now be even closer to Merc. And it should also mean Perez finally gets a car that can win regularly. It seems Red Bull have finally realised that was no point sticking to choosing it’s drivers from it’s young driver programme.

It’s a shame for Albon, but he hasn’t delivered and they had nothing to lose replacing him with Checo. Vettel replacing Perez is a gamble, but this isn’t. Not sure if Alex will get another chance now though.

[EastonNeston]

For the record, very pleased Perez has the seat, and I look forward to him beating Verstappen.

[MagnetON]

Thread pruned pending review of posts.

[GT6]

Well if red bull can not challenge mercedes who will? could be a very boring season up the front end next year

[Adam43]

I think Perez will do well, but he’s not going to be able to touch Verstappen. It’ll be like Mercedes where Bottas isn’t really on Hamilton’s level.

Although the dynamic won’t be quite the same as I don’t expect Perez to be so weak in the races, or so close in qualifying.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I think Perez will do well, but he’s not going to be able to touch Verstappen. It’ll be like Mercedes where Bottas isn’t really on Hamilton’s level.

Although the dynamic won’t be quite the same as I don’t expect Perez to be so weak in the races, or so close in qualifying.

Depends how he's treated by RB, whether they take on board any of his input (he does have masses of experience after all) and whether they keep him under the thumb as a strict #2. I think he will surprise on occasion. I suspect he's pretty happy right now.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Depends how he's treated by RB, whether they take on board any of his input (he does have masses of experience after all)

That's not the role of a number 2 driver; the number 2 driver's job is to drive the car with the same or similar setup to the number 1 driver (Verstappen). One suspects that is why Gasly was not considered, as previously Gasly demanded too many radical setup changes which departed greatly from Verstappen's setup.

No team has the resources to explore two radically different avenues of development, not even Mercedes or Red Bull!

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I think Perez will do well, but he’s not going to be able to touch Verstappen. It’ll be like Mercedes where Bottas isn’t really on Hamilton’s level.

Although the dynamic won’t be quite the same as I don’t expect Perez to be so weak in the races, or so close in qualifying.

Is Perez paying?

I would have gone Rogro (most talented) or Hulkenberg, the latter because that is who Max was pushing for.

The best way to have chosen would have been to have used a 2 year old car and run them all back to back.

[Pandamasque]

Originally Posted by wnut

Is Perez paying?

He was at Racing Point, well, at least he brought some sponsorship. I haven't heard anything about that being or not being part of the deal with RB.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Pandamasque

He was at Racing Point, well, at least he brought some sponsorship. I haven't heard anything about that being or not being part of the deal with RB.

Horner did drop a comment the other day that although they would not be replacing the Aston Martin title sponsorship they did have a couple of new sponsors that would become known in due course. That was before the confirmation of Perez so I guess we will see some of the Perez associated logos like Telmex / Telcel, Mexican (Slim owned) Telecom companies in due course.Just a hunch

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by E.B

Horner did drop a comment the other day that although they would not be replacing the Aston Martin title sponsorship...

coincidence that Perez went to the other AM sponsored team?

always a lot going on behind the scenes so who knows but still a nice symmetry here.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by wnut

Is Perez paying?

I would have gone Rogro (most talented) or Hulkenberg, the latter because that is who Max was pushing for.

The best way to have chosen would have been to have used a 2 year old car and run them all back to back.

I quite like all three of those drivers, but it’s all a bit of a muchness.

Maybe I chose Hulk out of the three, then Perez, and Rogro last.

A test would be fine, but actually I would look at their races. That rules Rogro out.