Who is the future of Red Bull

Last week Red Bull announced seven junior drivers contracts in the lower formulae of motor racing. Some were quickly becoming household names like Juri Vips or Liam Lawson, whilst others are still in obscurity. Furthermore, with Alex Albon departing for Sergio Perez it is all change at the drinks manufacturers. In this two-part article we are running down every driver with a shot at a Red Bull seat in the early 2020's.

The Current Team

Yuki Tsunoda

The new kid on the block at Alpha Tauri, Yuki Tsunoda has the potential to go all way to the peak of Formula One. Finishing in 3rd place in a debut Formula Two season is no mean feat - especially when one of your rivals is a Schumacher. The pressure for Yuki is that with so much talent in the Red Bull Academy at the moment, he must hit the ground running otherwise his replacement will be in faster than you can say Alexander Albon!

Sergio Perez

Super Sergio finished off a stellar campaign with Racing Point in 4th place, only to discover his drive had been taken by Sebastian Vettel for 2021. Nearing two-hundred Formula One starts, Sergio is no slouch & will bring a new dynamic to Red Bull as the first man brought in from outside the academy since Mark Webber in 2007. My money is that Perez will get just a short burst at the Austrian outfit before leaving the sport for good, however he has proved that when his back is against the wall he performs. Like Tsunoda, Perez is under supreme pressure to bring results from the get-go alongside superstar Max Verstappen.

The Star Candidates

Liam Lawson

Only eighteen years old, Liam Lawson is a promising youngster for the next generation of Formula One. With a chance to follow in the steps of Brendon Hartley, Lawson's promotion to FIA Formula 2 & DTM for 2021 shows his ambition to race in the pinnacle of motor racing. In 2020 Lawson showed his quality finishing best of the rest in the F3 Championship. A new season will bring fresh challenges and a chance to one-up his rivals in Juri Vips & Alex Albon. Partnering both men in separate series will give Lawson the opportunity to prove that he is the man to take a seat for Alpha Tauri ahead of the new regulations.

Jehan Daruvala

The one-in-a-billion protege from India must perform or his racing days with Red Bull will soon be over. Comfortably beaten by new Alpha Tauri rookie Yuki Tsunoda - Jehan has a point to prove. His teammate is currently unknown (Ticktum is the favourite), but regardless of the name a top three finish in F2 for 2021 is a must. I love the lad & he has great potential so exciting times lie ahead.

The Young Guns

Jak Crawford

Signed in January of last year, Jak Crawford is competing against adults up to five years older than him. Crawford lost the ADAC Formula 4 Championship to Jonny Edgar by just 2 points in a tough season in 2020. He will return with a step upwards to FIA Formula Three for 2021, racing for Red Bull's defacto junior team Hitech against his academy friend Ayumu Iwasa. Coming from the States, Jak is exactly the type of driver Dietrich Mateschitz will love at Red Bull for marketing in the future. It will be a while, but by 2025 expect to see this gifted kid on the track.

Jack Doohan

Crawford's main rival in the future - Jack Doohan has to succedd in 2021 if he wants to remain a member of the Red Bull Academy. Aussie son of legendary biker Mick Doohan, Jack had a rough beginning to life in FIA Formula Three as he failed to pick up a single point in his debut season for HWA Racelab. Despite racing for a midfield outfit, Doohan was outperformed by both his teammates by a comfortable margin. His fathers name may help him gain more patience from Red Bull but progress needs to be visible to stay with the program. A challenging year lies ahead...

The Left Fielders

Patricio O'Ward

A man who chose the fight in America ahead of Formula One, Patricio O'Ward is a talented kid. Despite being only twenty-one years of age, O'Ward has already won Indy Lights & finished in a lofty 4th in his debut full season in IndyCar beating out veterans like Takuma Sato, Felix Rosenqvist and Marcus Ericsson earning four podiums in the process. This seems an unlikely option, however O'Ward used to be a member of the Red Bull academy so may be tempted by a return after a few tours of America. He has the ability, it is just a matter of jumping ship.

Antonio Felix da Costa

The one that got away for Red Bull! Way back in 2014, Felix da Costa was the favourite to replace the promoted Daniel Ricciardo at Toro Rosso, until a unknown Russian by the name of Daniil Kvyat stole his drive. Since then, da Costa has become a force in Formula E with DS Techeetah as he took the title last year. Rumours on the grid indicated that Da Costa was interested in doing an F1 test at his home track Portimao. With a strong resume to his name - Antonio Felix Costa could be an option for Red Bull if the current set of youngsters fails to meet the pay grade.

Come back for Pt 2 as well as my Final Verdict