Jos Verstappen performs a U-turn on preference over Max Verstappen's Red Bull teammate for 2025
Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, has performed a U-turn regarding his preference on who should be next to his son at Red Bull in 2025. Much has been said about who could be the second Red Bull driver in 2025, with Sergio Perez looking to be in a struggle to secure his future with performances that have left a lot to be desired.
The Mexican has found it hard to get ahold of the RB20, and the car appears to not be working for the driver. While Verstappen has continued to fight for podiums and wins at the front, Perez has hardly scored any points this season. To add to this, multiple drivers seem to be in contention for the coveted second spot.
After Daniel Ricciardo failed to impress, Red Bull brought in Liam Lawson, who has been decently impressive in the limited opportunities he's had. On the other hand, there's Yuki Tsunoda as well, who has done a more than decent job at RB. In all of this, Sergio Perez's future as Max Verstappen's teammate looks highly unlikely.
However, the Mexican driver has now found an unlikely ally in Jos Verstappen. Max Verstappen's father, when asked previously who should be alongside his son at Red Bull, had said he preferred Liam Lawson. This week, however, the Dutchman has performed a U-turn as he thinks if the Red Bull car is "neutral," Perez could get back to performing well.
He told Joe Radio (via planetf1.com),
“That is not down to us, of course. That’s really up to the team’s management. But I’m also sure if Red Bull builds a car that is neutral and that everyone can get on with, then I think Checo will be there at the front again. But we have little to do with that really.”
Max Verstappen's father had earlier preferred Liam Lawson at Red Bull
This is, however, a U-turn for Jos Verstappen. Not too long ago, the Dutchman had said that his preference was for Liam Lawson to drive alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
Speaking earlier this month to viaplay, Jos Verstappen said (via planetf1.com),
“I think Lawson is doing very well. It seems logical to me that he is ready to step up. Let him finish this season and build confidence and then the team has to decide what they do for next year. I certainly don’t oppose that [Lawson replacing Perez]. It’s better if there is someone who is competitive and pushes Max forward a bit. That always helps, but we’ll see.”
There are multiple drivers right now who look to be in contention for the second Red Bull seat. It's not only Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez, as Franco Colapinto and Yuki Tsunoda have also been in the spotlight, making the situation a 4-way showdown.