Tost: 'It doesn't matter who is alongside Verstappen' as Perez gets nod

Outgoing AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost has backed SergioPerez to retain the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen.Perez's future is under question beyond the end of the 2024campaign following a difficult season this year. The Mexican driverwas heavily outperformed by team-mate Max Verstappen during theyear and particularly struggled over one lap, suffering a series ofnon-Q3 appearances throughout the campaign. Red Bull's team bossChristian Horner asserted that its options are open regarding itsline-up ahead of the 2025 season. However, speaking toRacingNews365 , Tost stated that he sees no need to change afterRed Bull won the Constructors' Championship this year, as well asending the Drivers' standings with the top two positions for thefirst time in its history. “It doesn't matter who is beside MaxVerstappen, I think that he is simply the fastest [in F1],” Tostsaid. “It depends on the team philosophy. Red Bull Racing want towin the Drivers' Championship, as well as the Constructors’Championship and then you have to find the best possiblecombination. “I think the combination they have now is very good,because Max is clearly the leader of the team. He is faster thanPerez. “But Perez is fast enough to finish second in thechampionship and they [Red Bull] are winning the Constructors'Championship. “So what more do you want? They have to have peace inthe team, because it's clear who is dominating.” Verstappenmemories Tost worked with Verstappen during the 2015 campaign whenthe Dutchman was promoted to a seat in F1 at just 17 years of age.Speaking to the Beyond the Grid podcast, Tost reflected on hisearly thoughts of Verstappen. “This unbelievable natural speed, youcould see sometimes in Formula 3. I remember this wet race at theNorisring,” Tost said. “I thought Max was driving on a dry line,because he was two seconds faster than the rest. This reminded meof when Michael Schumacher won a Formula Ford race at theSalzburgring. Similar conditions, and he was also, every lap, twoor three seconds faster than the rest. “I wanted to see, what isthat driver doing in our car? We had done the test in Italy. He gotimmediately clear with the car. He adapted immediately to thespeed, the brakes, everything. “This was the big advantage for Max.He does not have a problem with the speed. Other drivers need tenlaps, 20 laps, 100 laps, until they adapt this speed, the brakesand everything. Max had it under control.” Tost remembered thereaction to his decision around fitting Verstappen into a race seatfor 2015. “We said, ‘okay, he should do the free practice inSuzuka.’ Then once more your colleagues came and said we aretotally crazy, it’s one of the most difficult racetracks. He justwent out and did his job without any problem. “Then the second onewas I think in Sao Paolo. I don't remember exactly the corner buthe hit the oversteer. He lost it a little bit, but he caught thecar without any problem. He was not surprised by the speed, he hadit under control.” Tost sees Ricciardo as role model One such namethat is vying for a Red Bull drive in 2025 is Daniel Ricciardo, whoreturned to AlphaTauri this year. Ricciardo drove for the Red Bullsister squad in 2012 and 2013 before being promoted to Red Bull,where he won several Grands Prix. Having been reunited with hisformer driver, Tost stated that Ricciardo has not changed much as aperson. “No, he didn't become so different as a person but ofcourse, he is now much more experienced,” he said. “When he was hewas driving for us in 2012 and 2013, 10 years ago, in 10 years inF1 you learn a lot. “He won eight races, he is a character Formula1 is very well known and especially the young fans and the girlslike him, that's important! “We need to attract females in thesport, characters like Daniel and many F1 drivers, they're young,they look good. They have a lot of money. This is what femaleslike!”