As we draw closer to the 2024 season, it’s fair to say that there are a few drivers whose seats have been called into question.
The world of Formula 1 is an ever-changing environment that requires drivers to prove themselves at each and every race. A driver cannot simply rely on a few good performances to save their seat. The 2023 season has already shown us how quickly a driver can be replaced if they do not live up to the expectations placed on them, but will Nyck De Vries be the only driver who doesn’t make it to 2024?
Here are the drivers who are at risk of losing their seats heading into the 2024 season.
1. Sergio Perez
If we’re talking about drivers at risk, it’s only right that Sergio Perez kicks off the list. His seat at Red Bull has consistently been called into question throughout 2023 despite Team Principal, Christian Horner, stating that his seat is safe for 2024. However, when we look back at Red Bull’s history, they have not been shy of replacing drivers at a moment’s notice.
The run of poor performances combined with the reintroduction of Daniel Ricciardo into the Red Bull family has undoubtedly ramped up the pressure on Perez. Although Sergio’s lackluster season has not impacted Red Bull’s championship chances in 2023, it could become a bigger concern if the other teams begin to catch Red Bull in 2024 and beyond.
2. Yuki Tsunoda
Tsunoda is now in his third season in F1 with Alpha Tauri and faces a new challenge in Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the season. Alpha Tauri’s mid-season switch has ramped up the competition within the team as Tsunoda acknowledged that the slower driver “won’t make it to Red Bull”.
Although the Japanese driver has made steady progress over the past few years, it will become increasingly difficult for Red Bull to justify his place in their junior team should Ricciardo beat him over the remaining races.
3. Daniel Ricciardo
Ricciardo has made his intentions clear since rejoining the Formula 1 grid in 2023, the former Red Bull driver has stated on multiple occasions that his ultimate goal is to make it back to a Red Bull seat in the future.
For Ricciardo to take a step closer to that second Red Bull seat he will have to succeed against Tsunoda in the second half of the season. If Ricciardo is unable to outperform his teammate, that will likely draw him closer to the end of his F1 career.
4. Logan Sargeant
Sargeant is now one of the two remaining rookies in 2023 and the first half of the season has seen the only American driver on the grid get off to a rocky start. Although Sargeant’s Formula 1 future is not as uncertain as the Red Bull/ Alpha Tauri drivers listed above, there’s no denying that he’s been quite a way off his teammate, Alex Albon.
Williams has generally been supportive of the rookie driver, but there has been a push for him to “connect with the car as Alex has.”
Given how close the midfield teams have been this year, teams such as Williams need to capitalize on any results that they can. To ensure that they hold on to P7 in the Constructor Standings, both drivers will have to avoid the rookie mistakes that we’ve seen from Sargeant earlier in the season.
As the summer break approaches, these drivers will have just under half a season to prove why they deserve to remain on the grid for 2024.
