A surprising and intense rumour about Red Bull's driver lineups for Formula 1 made waves in the Singapore GP paddock on Thursday.
Initially, all the talk centred around Daniel Ricciardo, with strong rumours suggesting that this weekend could mark his 257th and last start in F1.
Reports indicate that Red Bull has exercised Liam Lawson's contract option, which was set to expire in just a few days. This decision could see Lawson not only secure a seat in 2025 but potentially replace Australian Ricciardo from the Austin GP onwards this year.
At 35, Ricciardo has acknowledged that he expects to be informed of the team's plans for the 2025 season over the weekend. However, he remained adamant about keeping his place on the grid for the remainder of 2024.
When questioned about whether Red Bull had the right to remove him from the car for the US GP, he replied, "I don't think so," before adding "Actually, I would say no. But I'm not a lawyer."
Ricciardo also recognised the unpredictable nature of the sport, saying "We know how things work in the sport. You can never be 100 percent sure. So I wouldn't bet my house on it. I've been in the game too long for that."
German publication Auto Motor und Sport believes Red Bull boss Christian Horner and sponsor Visa are keen for Ricciardo to stay on for 2024, while the influential Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko is reportedly pushing for the younger Lawson, who is 22.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen seemed to be preparing for a farewell to his friend and former teammate.
"Even if this is, let's say, the last race or whatever, you can still look back at something amazing that not many people can achieve and do something else maybe in life," the Dutchman remarked.
However, a fresh rumour has now surfaced, claiming that Verstappen's current teammate, Sergio Perez, may soon announce his retirement from Formula 1 at the age of 34.
These speculations emerged from Mexico, with suggestions that Perez wants to step away from the demanding F1 schedule to spend more time with his family.
Dr Helmut Marko responded to the rumour with amusement, "This is the first time I've heard of this," he told Kronen Zeitung, smiling.
He then hinted at an intriguing aspect of Perez's life, adding "But his wife is expecting their fourth child. An interesting alternative."
