Red Bull are set to make a driver decision for 2021 imminently; Looking at the case for Alex Albon and Sergio Perez as they hope to land seat next to Max Verstappen, plus comments from Christian Horner
Thursday 17 December 2020 19:45, UK
Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the team are going through a "huge amount of data" ahead of making a much-anticipated Formula 1 line-up announcement for 2021, with current driver Alex Albon and in-form free agent Sergio Perez the main contenders.
With AlphaTauri having confirmed Yuki Tsunoda for next season, and Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton expecting to agree terms before Christmas, attention now shifts to Red Bull to make their decision and fill the 2021 grid.
"We've always said that we'll go to the end of the year and then make our decision at the end of the season," Horner told reporters after last weekend's F1 finale in Abu Dhabi.
"But we now have a full picture of the season and we'll make that decision in the coming days."
Albon is hoping to retain his seat next to Max Verstappen, while Perez - who finished an impressive fourth in the 2020 standings while also winning a race - is desperate to land the drive after his harsh Racing Point exit.
"We have a huge amount of data now," Horner added. "We have all the knowledge across the various circuits that we have done, and will sit down and go through that so that we can come to the right conclusion."
Albon shone after being called up by Red Bull halfway through his 2019 rookie season, but hasn't quite met expectations this year. The British-born Thai driver, 23, who Red Bull hoped would help bring the fight to Mercedes, finished seventh in the championship (with less than half of Verstappen's total points) and with just two podiums to his team-mate's 11.
He also, worryingly, failed to out-qualify Verstappen all season - his closest challenge provided at the Italian GP when he was 0.295s slower.
But Red Bull have been consistent in their message that they "want" Albon to stay, hoping for stability within the team while also staying true to their young driver philosophy and seeking talent from within. The Red Bull programme - aided by sister outfit AlphaTauri (previously Toro Rosso) - has provided stars such as Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, but the team have also promoted and then demoted Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly in recent seasons.
Red Bull will not want the same thing for Albon, who will not be on the grid next year if he loses his seat - with AlphaTauri's drivers confirmed.
Throughout the second half of the campaign, Horner has been challenging Albon to "earn" his drive and another new contract, and there have been inconsistent weekends - with podiums and crashes - after that. Albon did, however, produce one of his best performances of the season, finishing fourth and close to Lewis Hamilton, at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP - giving Red Bull all they could have really asked for.
"Alex has done a very good job today," said Horner. "It's probably been his strongest collective weekend of the season, and he's driven a good race. That now gives us a complete set of information to go away and analyse it, work out what we're going to do."
Albon, who said he "didn't know" if he had done enough to remain with the team, added: "It was a good weekend for me, and obviously at a good moment.
"I feel like it's been my best weekend in terms of performance. To keep pushing and to have my best result, obviously under all the pressures of the weekend and everything going on, I'm proud of myself and I feel like it was a good closing end to the year."
Perez, meanwhile, is in the bizarre position of being out of a drive for the first time after the best season of his F1 career.
The Mexican finished fourth, despite missing two of 17 races due to coronavirus - finishing with points in every race he finished, while also securing two podiums and one victory in a 'midfield' Racing Point car.
He will be replaced by Sebastian Vettel next season, with Lance Stroll, who Perez outscored by 50 points, retained.
But Horner says Perez is very much a contender - comparing him to Mark Webber when Red Bull also looked outside their young driver programme - with the team boss particularly impressed by his against-the-odds Bahrain win.
"He was a very popular winner, and he's given a great season," he told Sky F1. "Sergio has given a very good account of himself, and a great advert for himself."
Perez, who is the likeliest replacement for Albon, with Nico Hulkenberg also an option, says he would love to get a chance with a top team for 2021, but will take a year out of F1 and definitely return in 2022 if not.
"I'm at peace with myself, whatever happens," he said last weekend.
"There has been contact but they won't make a decision until after the race, and it could be any time before the next season starts. From my point of view, I've done everything I could.
"I'm 30 years old, I'm at the peak of my career. Whatever happens, this is not my final race in Formula 1."
He added after his last race with Racing Point ended with an unfortunate DNF: "Until they don't announce a driver line-up, I still have a hope. Who knows what will happen next.
"The season is over, so a week or two it will not make a difference. Whatever I need to know, I will know, and whatever comes next, I am ready for it."
