The 2024 silly season in Formula 1 has been one of the craziest ever seen. Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz at Williams, Esteban Ocon “fired” from Alpine F1 Team… But one of the biggest mysteries in F1 this year has been the drop in performance of Sergio Perez and, more importantly, how Red Bull has struggled to manage this, given their ease in changing drivers.
As the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix approaches, Isack Hadjar, a young driver from the Red Bull program, seems to have dropped a bombshell in an interview that could very well put an end to Perez’s career through the game of musical chairs.
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A future in Formula 1 for Isack Hadjar?
Isack Hadjar, currently fighting for the F2 title, seems well-positioned to make his Formula 1 debut next year. The French driver, racing under Red Bull colors, is only half a point behind Gabriel Bortoleto in the standings, another promising young driver who will race for Sauber in F1 next year. Already on the shortlist to join one of Red Bull’s two F1 teams, if Hadjar wins the title, he will only strengthen his already strong candidacy. But for now, and officially, the two seats at Red Bull are reserved for Verstappen and Perez, and there is no room at Racing Bulls, with Tsunoda and Lawson. Despite his impressive performances, there are still some unknowns.
The game of musical chairs within Red Bull Racing
According to rumors at the time I’m writing this article, Sergio Perez’s exit is imminent. Enough is enough for Horner and Marko; the Mexican driver has been failing to convince for months, and it’s time to part ways. So, who will replace him? It seems that Liam Lawson, a very promising young talent, will take his seat, while Yuki Tsunoda will stay for another year at VCARB Racing Bulls. This would leave one seat alongside the Japanese driver, and it seems Red Bull’s management has already made its choice for the 2025 F1 season…
This ex-World Champion already knows who will win the next F1 seasons
The bombshell dropped by Hadjar in the interview
In a FIA press conference a few days before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Isack Hadjar was asked about his potential future in Formula 1 after this successful F2 season, despite the temperamental Campos car. Feeling trapped, he hesitated for a long time before answering the question. “I mean, it’s obviously confirmed… And still to be confirmed, right? So obviously, I can’t say it. I literally can’t tell you what I’ll do next season because it’s not official yet.” With this response, did Isack Hadjar just confirm both his arrival in F1 and Perez’s departure? There’s a good chance the theory mentioned earlier will come true, but we’re in Formula 1, and anything can still happen.
This article explores the potential rise of Isack Hadjar in Formula 1, his close battle for the F2 title, and the uncertain future of Red Bull’s driver lineup.