Perez to Redbull, Albon becomes reserve driver

Yes, of course they can try somebody different every year, and never give them the time to settle, but what's the point?
It looks to me like the second seat at Red Bull is the road to oblivion.
Some journos have questioned RB's methods, saying they put all their weight behind Max, and keep undermining his team mate(s).
This is exactly what some on this forum accuse MB of doing.

 

The difference between RBR and Mercedes is quite simple: MB is unrivalled in pace. The only reason we really want a competitive teammate for Lewis is purely so we can have some entertainment for the lead of the race. I and others have said more than often that we understand WHY Mercedes has an idiot as a teammate, we just wish it was different for entertainment reasons only.

Back to Red Bull:
Albon had a year and a half in the car and has NOT improved. In percentage terms he's as far behind Max as when he started. Why bother continuing with someone that can't improve?
These guys are F1 drivers, they're big boys. They believe they can do as good as an other driver in the field. If a better seat opens up (RBR's), they'll jump at the chance. They know the risk involved: Don't perform, lose your seat. Why should RBR keep the seat open to a driver that can't improve?

If you where RBR brass, wouldn't you put everything you can in the driver that you know, is performing? Seems idiotic to not do so.

I do love this forum. For YEARS we are being told that Ferrari/Mercedes etc all need to sack "useless driver X". Red Bull, even though they don't go through that many drivers, swaps out a useless driver for another and everyone is up in arms saying they're not giving drivers a fair chance!

Lets go back in History:

RBR buys Jaguar and for 2005 sign Coulthard, Klien and Liuzzi (the latter 2 both signed to drive in designated races, to see who they like). This is the early part so swapping out drivers is no matter. For 2006 they retain Coulthard and Klien, with Liuzzi going to their now new team, STR.
2007-2008. Coulthard and Webber are employed by RBR. STR is their testing ground. Coulthard stays on till end of 2008 when he decides to retire from racing.
2009-2013. Vettel gets promoted from their junior team and races alonside webber. No changes made in lineup until Webber retires end of 2013. 4 titles are won.
2014 Ricciardo moves from STR to RBR, races alongside Vettel who moves to Ferrari end of the season
2015 Kvyat gets the bump up from STR to RBR next to ric
2016 Kvyat doesn't perform, with the very well performing Max getting the nod from the Spanish GP onwards. Seems to have been a decent decision as he wins his very first race for RBR
2016-2018 Max and Ric race alongside each other until Ric decides to leave.
2019 Gasly takes Ric seat, moving from STR. Performs poorly and is downgraded back to STR. Albon takes over
2020 Albon doesn't improve an ounce. He's not expected to fight Max but at least stay relevant. Can't hack it. Is replaced by Perez.

STR is Red Bull's driver development team (hence Liuzzi, Kvyat and Gasly all went back there. The rest retired or went to other teams). These guys know they need to perform if they get the top seat. Can't hack it, your seat is gone. I actually think RBR is handling it all quite nicely, giving them a seat at STR still!

 

Red Bull can go through as many driver as they want, for all I care, but it doesn't seem to bring them the result they expect, or does it?
Horner said in the past that he wants Max' wingman to gather as many points as he can for the team, by finishing behind him.
Albon managed that quite a few times this year, although some races, there was a gap.
On the whole, Albon followed his brief, and even had he been closer to Max, the team would still have finished no higher than 2nd in the WC !!.
I think Albon was better than Kvyat and Gasly during his time at RB.

 

The problem is the gap. By the time the pitstops start to arrive, Albon is normally already so far behind that Mercedes can do as they please with the strategy without much worry they get held up by Albon. Abu Dhabi was the exception rather than the norm. And that's the problem with Albon...

It's better to figure out who is a good #2 to have now rather than later. Imagine for next year they build a car that's fast enough to mount a serious championship challenge, but they stick with Albon...who, because of him being too slow, still allows Mercedes to win races by not having to be worried about being held up behind the slower RBR car.

I feel bad for Albon as he's a nice guy but he just couldn't perform as expected of him. It's likely the car plays a big part in this, neither he or Gasly really got to grips with it. But RBR can't focus on making the car suit him as that will make the car slower, or mean 2 different development teams...

 

I agree. I'm surprised Albon lasted this long. Look, it's facts, some people got, some people just don't have it. We cannot deny that. Albon's destiny probably lies outside of F1. It's not to say end of the world for him.

 

If only there were a land mass with almost no inhabitants and no overseeing governmental athorities--so one could build a test track "down" there and have unlimied testing because noone would be around to see, watch, or hear.

Too bad it is so freeking cold "there".

 

Didn't we spend all summer arguing whether anyone could beat Mercedes ?
That same argument implies that there is only one top team...........

 

Agree. He’s a mature driver who is probably confident enough to not focus on Max and instead play the #2. Albon clearly crumbled under the pressure, as will any young driver.

 

3 steps on the podium. 2 mercedes cars.

Seems Red Bull occupies one of those steps nearly every race. I would think that makes them one of the top teams?

 

Perez in Red Bull next year should give us the real benchmark.
I suspect Max is hugely flattering the car since two years.

 

So where is the official announcement of Perez going to RB? Maybe they are not yet ready to commit to him. Maybe their obsession with youth has them seeing if they can poach George Russell.

 

I have seen the 'next week confirmation' articles of Perez to RB for a couple of weeks now
Perez is a mediocre driver at best, because he has fallen victim to the evil Stroll dynasty, people forget he is driving the #2 best car on the grid (but rarely finished in a position worthy of that and even fewer times qualified at that level). RB is all for Max & he doesn't care about #2 or #3 in the WDC. They already secured #2 in the WCC way ahead. Until their cars get closer to Mercedes', they already achieved everything reasonably possible. I seriously doubt there would be more wins for MV this season with a teammate closer behind.

 

I agree 100%. Albon has the talent that is for sure - and in like for like cars was way better than Gasly. Verstappen has had more time at Redbull to build confidence... I think the real problem child is Marko's perception of the drivers... he's too cut and dry... if you look at the RB driver program... not many are making it in F-1... which shows me either they pick the wrong ones - or are not nurturing them properly...I think its the latter. they need someone like Jacky Stewart in there who not only was a far better driver than Marko, but is better at the psychology of driving

 

Perez vs Albon decision will be made tomorrow 12/18.

 

***popping popcorn***

 

That has been RB position since Verstappen/Ric and Vettel/Webber, I don't think they want to continue like that. Ideally, they want a clear #1 driver and a #2. Albon has been like a #3 for most of the time. Agree 100% with the previous comment: Albon hasn't been fast enough to play a part in the strategies, fighting most of the time in the mid-field.

RP could have been the second fastest car, but it has never been the second best team. They still had serious strategy errors, pit errors, covid issues and budget issues as well when Stroll had more crashes that they could build cars.

 

It makes RB "best of the rest" But realistically, RB was at least 0.5 seconds slower than Merc on race pace at any random track, and often 1.0 second or more slower.

That does not make a top team, except when comparing only numbers.

 

Ok, let me rephrase it then:

Red Bull is the 2nd best team on the grid, it shouldn't have much problem attracting any driver from nearly all teams.

 

RB's school is ruthless, that's true. But everyone goes into that place with their eyes open. They know they need to perform or face getting the axe.

There are a lot of athletes in RB's school, not all end up in F1, true. But almost all of them end up in the higher ranks of paid racing regardless, most of the time under a Red Bull banner of some sort still. I presume Red Bull has a lot of data from all these drivers and they make decisions from there who goes to F1, and ultimately to their top team.

And I imagine it's much the same with a driver that doesn't end up in a driver program but has to find their own sponsors individually. The chances are quite high for those to either not make the results as promised, their sponsor can't afford it anymore, finds another driver or any other type of reason. Even having just 1 sponsor drop out can be the killer of their career already. It's a tough business and the very best don't always make it to the top. The road to paid racing (let alone F1!) is littered with broken careers. I know a guy who used to kart against Button all the time and beat him on a regular basis...but luck, lack of connections played it's part and now he works in an office and is lucky enough to drive some higher end drift cars sometimes...unpaid.

 

Yes, I fully agree that RB is the second highest performing team right now in F1.

 

+1

 

Autosport offers - Up very late and took break working a new system found this.

Sergio Perez looks poised to secure a seat with Red Bull for the 2021 Formula 1 season, with an announcement set to be made on Friday.

Red Bull had vowed to make a swift decision about whether or not to stick with Alex Albon, after the Thai driver struggled to match team-mate Max Verstappen throughout the past season.

He did take podium finishes at the Tuscan and Bahrain grands prix, but he finished the campaign 109 points behind his Dutch team-mate.

Albon had faced difficulties getting on top of the tricky handling of the RB16 but had appeared to have made some progress over the final race weekend in Abu Dhabi.

But, amid growing indications that Red Bull felt its 2021 ambitions could be better served by opting for a proven more experienced driver like Perez, the team appears to have wasted little time in making its call.

 

Bottas finished 124 points behind his team mate, too.........with only 64% of Hamilton's take
Albon only got 50% of Max's take.

 

No wins. Bottas keeps the harmony overall. Albon was just never was impressive and showing growth?? Who knows the voodoo of RedBull.

 

Growth....where? Abu Dhabi? I admit, he did a relatively good qualifying.

But by the time of the (very early) pitstops, Max was already 14 seconds (!) ahead. SC neutralized the field...so we can ''virtually'' add those to the 20 seconds he finished behind max, so we're already at 34 seconds. Up to lap 38 Max was 7 tenths to a second a lap quicker, until he suddenly maintained his pace. Albon didn't close in on him, Max just started to match Albon's pace. I'm sure Max could've easily maintained his relentless pace but there was no need. Enough of a gap over the Mercs in case they did pit, and just extend the tyres...

Good qualifying pace in Abu Dhabi for once but piss poor race pace for Albon.