Red bull f1 team
'Tenacious' Perez to replace Albon at Red Bull in 2021
Perez, who was out of contract with Racing Point, will race alongside Max Verstappen for the Milton Keynes-based team in 2021.
Hungary is also a favourite for Hamilton, who has won there seven times and can equal Schumacher’s feat of winning the same grand prix eight times.
Just hours after seeing Mercedes duo of six-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas top the times with a resounding one-two in their newly-painted ‘black arrows’ cars, it was confirmed that Red Bull had made a formal protest against them.
Sunday’s race, the first of two in Austria on successive weekends, will be the latest start to a championship after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the scheduled Australian opener on 15 March before a wheel had turned.
Sole rival and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas is 64 points behind and Lewis Hamilton needs to score 14 points more than the Finn.
The 23-year-old has been promoted from Toro Rosso into the seat alongside Max Verstappen starting this weekend in a straight swap with underperforming Frenchman Pierre Gasly who has been sent back to Red Bull’s sister team.
The Spaniard’s comments appeared to be at odds with Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who suggested after Daniel Ricciardo’s decision that Alonso was not under consideration.
The Australian joined Red Bull in 2008 as a member of their Junior Team, with whom he won numerous titles.
Mercedes said on Wednesday that they would delay the introduction of a power unit upgrade until after this weekend’s race due to a quality issue.
The Australian is out of contract with Red Bull at the end of the year and champions Mercedes or Ferrari are possible alternatives with Finns Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen yet to be confirmed.
Winning from pole position for the first time in his career, Ricciardo drove for nearly two-thirds of the race with a car down on power due to problems that emerged on lap 28.
The most glamorous grand prix on the calendar could favour Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
The 20-year-old Red Bull driver blew a potential victory with a rash attempt to pass the four-times world champion in Shanghai two weeks ago while having the advantage of fresher tyres.
Resurgent Red Bull believe they can win the last two races, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, while Ferrari are also eager to wrap up 2017 with a flourish.
Drivers are allowed four power units, divided into six component parts, per season before penalties are incurred.
Nissan's Infinit brand has been with Red Bull since 2011 and title sponsors since 2013.
Red Bull Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from the Australian Grand Prix.
Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from the Australian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver criticised Formula One's new V6 engines for their 'lack of noise'.