Two F1 stars 'looking for a lifeline' as Christian Horner weighs up key decision
As the F1 driver market picture becomes clearer, a couple of drivers are fighting to save their careers.
Kevin Magnussen and Valtteri Bottas are reportedly ‘looking for an F1 lifeline’ with their current teams - Haas and Sauber - looking elsewhere in the driver market for the 2025 season and beyond.
When Nico Hulkenberg announced that he was swapping Haas for Sauber earlier this year, Magnussen’s chances of retaining his seat for at least another season looked strong with only Oliver Bearman clearly in the picture to join the North Carolina-based outfit.
However, as the season has stretched on, the gulf in performance and points between Hulkenberg and Magnussen increased, and the latter’s prospects are diminishing with every passing race weekend.
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Now, ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, BBC Sport are reporting that Haas are set to sign Esteban Ocon for 2025, completing their line-up and leaving Magnussen without a home for next season. He is allegedly now looking toward Alpine, Sauber and Williams to save his F1 career.
Bottas is another driver fighting for his place on the grid next year. Despite dominating team-mate Zhou Guanyu throughout the 2024 campaign thus far, Sauber are keen to turn up in Bahrain next season with an all-new line-up.
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The 10-time Grand Prix winner has been heavily linked with a return to former team Williams and talks have reportedly gone well with James Vowles, but Bottas could also be in line to replace the Haas-bound Ocon at Alpine, should Carlos Sainz decide against returning to Enstone in 2025.
The most imminent changes on the grid are likely to occur at Red Bull with Christian Horner weighing up the decision of whether or not to fire Sergio Perez mid-season. The Mexican was awarded a two-year contract extension after the race in Monaco but has since scored a best finish of P7, finishing outside of the top 10 in three of the last five Grands Prix.
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"We thought the contract would help," Horner admitted ahead of the British GP. "I think it's something that Checo is working very hard on, and he knows this is a sport where there's no hiding.
"Particularly with Max Verstappen as your team-mate. He knows he's being measured against the very best, and we need him up there supporting Max, because there's two McLarens now, there's two Ferraris, there's two Mercedes and we need there to be desperately two Red Bulls.”
