Damon Hill suggests one driver move that would rock the world of F1

Damon Hill suggested that Lando Norris may be a suitable candidate to succeed Sergio Perez at Red Bull when the time comes to choose a new partner for Max Verstappen.

Norris is already locked into a long-term deal with McLaren until the end of 2025 and Perez is contracted to be a Red Bull driver until 2024 at least, but recent struggles with the RB19 have turned up scrutiny from the outside on the Mexican’s position with the team.

While Perez recovered from 15th on the grid to take a place on the podium in Austria last time out, he has faced criticism for his qualifying performances in particular of late.

Damon Hill: Sergio Perez ‘already under pressure’, Red Bull would want ‘fresh face’ as replacement

Perez has endured a difficult run of form after a flying start to the season that saw him share victories with Verstappen in the opening four races of the year.

他已经连续四站比赛没有真纪ng it into Q3, falling 81 points behind his team-mate in the Drivers’ Championship in the process as Verstappen extends his dominant form in Formula 1.

With that, Hill thinks the heat is being turned up on Perez at the moment.

“I think he’s already under pressure,” Hill toldThe Independentwhen asked about the current form Perez is facing.

“They cannot afford to have a car that good and not have two cars right up there for the championship.”

When it comes to possible replacements, Red Bull have Daniel Ricciardo back at the team as third driver, and the Australian is taking part in three days of tyre testing after the British Grand Prix weekend as Red Bull assess where his pace lies.

But whether ot not they would have him back in the car is another question altogether, and the 1996 World Champion feels Red Bull could look elsewhere for Verstappen’s potential next partner.

“Is Daniel Ricciardo fit enough to come back?” Hill said.

“That’s what the noises are. Maybe that plan is simmering away. I think they’d want a fresh face.

“Possibly Lando [Norris]. He’s still got a few more years left at McLaren – I was surprised when he signed such a long-term deal. It’s a long time, I’d have done three years tops.

“If you’re that confident in yourself, you need to be able to move when the time is right.”

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Lando Norris remaining committed to McLaren cause

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has spoken before about there being no get-out clauses on either side in Norris’ contract, and the driver himself recently effectively confirmed this was the case – making a move pretty much contractually impossible from his perspective.

But given the recent progress McLaren have been making behind the scenes, he is looking forward to the future and what it may bring with the tea,

“Whether I’m happy or not, my contract is until the end of 2025. I’m part of McLaren, I’m in papaya until the end of 2025,” Norris told Formula 1’sBeyond the Gridpodcast.

“I really look forward to those times, but there are plenty of things that we can be, and are, doing better now without these people. We cannot blame our performance because we don’t have this person or that person.

“There’s all the things that we just should’ve done better for many years in the first place. All these additions of great minds and talented people are going to have a big effect.

“But in a time when I’m in a team that I want to be part of, I want to win with, I don’t get too caught up with what’s happened and what is going to happen.

“Of course, I look forward to those times. It gives me a good boost. It gives everyone in the whole team a good boost and gives me more reasons to want to continue into the future so I’m happy.”

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